Let it Flow
by sevangel
Summary: A few months post Early, River's fascination with a certain merc comes out. How will the crew handle the genius's sudden craving? How will Jayne? A more animalistic look into my favorite pairing, Rayne.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Starts

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine: Firefly belongs to J. Whedon

Rating: R

Pairings: Gasp, it's River/Jayne. Can anyone believe that? Also contains Kaylee/Simon and Wash/Zoe

FYI: New Year, figured why the hell not start a new story. It takes place a couple months after OiS.

-

River glances about the table, watching while they crew eats dinner. Thoughts press in but she's able to build a wall to keep them out. Things have started to change for her since Early's visit. She wishes to think it is because of Simon's medicine but knows that would be a lie. She had a mission; got to use her training, be what the academy made her. She will never tell Simon but the danger, the prospect of going back or of dieing made her feel alive for the first time since crawling out of that box. It's taken her some time to accept the fact that River Tam, Simon's little mei-mei, is dead. She died along time ago. What's left is a slightly crazy, mind reading, genius assassin. One who likes violence, who almost craves it. At the thought of violence, her gaze filters down the table to the large merc shoveling protein into his mouth.

He is the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

The way he moves, the way he stays still, the way he eats, the way he kills, the way he sleeps, the way he talks, every single thing he does is so very physical. He is so different from anybody that she's ever met. There are no fake airs to him, no fronts that he puts up to be acceptable to the world outside. When he's angry, he hits things or yells. When he's hungry, he eats. When something freaks him out, he says so. When he's aroused, he has sex or if a willing woman isn't around, he masturbates. When he thinks something, he says it, even if it is cruel or lewd. When he finds something to be humorous, he laughs regardless of the situation. It's something she is not used to; most of the time her family never expressed what they were feeling or when they were angry. Everything was kept behind doors to hide from the world outside.

Most of the crew reminds her of that. Simon with his denial of being in love with Kaylee. Inara and the captain pretending that they aren't in love and that everything is fine. Kaylee pretending that she is fine when she still wakes up sweating and terrified with nightmares about Early. Book has all the secrets that he keeps hidden, that he constantly doesn't think about just so that she won't find them. Zoe's desire to have a child that she hides from everyone. Wash's same desire covered by the fear of losing not only his child but also his wife. Secrets floating everywhere: secret desires, secret thoughts, secret wants. But not from Jayne. In the time that she's been here, he's only tried to hide his what he wanted to do once and that was when he turned her in. Little does he know, that is what started her on the road to her semi-sanity. Being captured and tied up, almost being given back to the hands of blue, then escaping the blue hands, those things woke her up. Made her finally realize she was out of the academy. She didn't feel alive then but she no longer thought that what was going on around her was simulated by the academy.

Even the guilt Jayne felt after that was different than anything she's felt before. He didn't focus on it; didn't relive what he did. He knew it was wrong and accepted it. Bought the apples as a peace offering and that was it. He moved on. It is refreshing, to say the least. The captain and Zoe still feel guilt from the men lost in the war so many years ago. Simon feels it from letting her go to the academy and what was done to her even though none of it is his fault.

Jayne reminds her of a wolf. Feral and wild, not really tame. Growling when cornered, killing when needed. She wonders if he mates for life. An animalistic being with a darkness that rivals her own. She can feel it too, humming under his skin, singing out to hers.

"Mei-mei, what are you doing?" River can hear Simon's voice ask.

Blinking her eyes rapidly to clear the blood lust induced phase, she looks down and realizes she is currently crawling across the table towards the large mercenary. Jayne is still eating but watching her with cautious eyes, like he's waiting for an attack. Racking her brain for an explanation that's not going to get her sedated, she turns her head to look at her brother.

"She is done eating." River replies, giving her brother her 'isn't it oblivious' look. "She was leaving."

"Well, then little witch, why didn't ya use the ground like the rest of us?" Mal questions, curious as to what her answer is going to be.

River looks over her shoulder at Mal. "This route is shorter." River answers. "The distance from her chair, around the table, and out the door is 14 feet and 2 3/8th inches. Across the table is only 12 and a half feet."

"Be that as it may, there ain't no crawling cross the table while we're eatin." Mal replies with a small smile. Gorram girl amuses him to no end.

"Very well." River says, smirking back at him.

Simon sees his sister's smirk and grows a little anxious about what she was planning.

"No crawling across the table during meals, no touching guns," River says, counting the rules off on one hand. "no hurting crew members, no receiving or giving sexual favors to Inara."

Simon chokes on his food and stares at his sister. Kaylee tries to hide a giggle but isn't successful. Wash laughs and a small smile crosses Zoe's mouth. Jayne's fork stops halfway to his open mouth and hangs mid air. Book eyes go wide as he stares River. Inara's hand is covering her mouth, the companion stuck between shock and laughter. Mal drops his fork, is gaze moving between the genius and the companion.

"What would make ya say that?" Mal questions.

"It's one of your rules." River answers. "Or more accurately, Inara's." She looks over at Inara before speaking again, her voice changing to a refined, well-cultured one that resembles the companion's. "I will not now nor at any time be serving you or anyone under your employee."

"Oh." Mal mutters, remembering when Inara said that.

"But the girl is not under your employee." River comments, her head cocking to the side to look at Mal. "Does the rule still apply to her?"

"What?" Mal grunts. "Course it does. Why would ya even wonder bout that?"

"Mei-mei, are you…" Simon starts.

"She is not sexually attracted to Inara." River cuts her brother off. She turns her head to look at the companion, shifting her knees on the hard table. "Inara is attractive and smells nice but the girl has no desire to be intimate with her. She was just insuring that she has all the correct data."

"Thank you, River." Inara replies. "You are also attractive."

"The girl thanks you." River says with a large smile. She then turns her head back around to look at Mal. "May she leave now?"

"Yeah." Mal replies.

River smiles brightly at him and moves up to her bare feet. Running down the table, she dives over Jayne's head, hits the ground with a roll and bounces back to her feet.

"Little witch." Mal says, stopping River's exit.

"Yes?"

"None of that either, dong ma?" Mal questions.

"Very well." River replies with a sigh. She then starts muttering to herself, not at all quiet. "Rules, rules, there are always rules. She can't do this, she can't do that. Next they'll just chain her up like an animal."

"I think you aggravated her." Wash comments after River's exit.

"Yeah." Mal agrees.

"Better ya than me." Jayne mutters, returning to his food. He recalls the look on her face when she was crawlin' towards him, thinkin' she looked like an animal huntin' down her prey. Gorram crazy girl has always set him on edge. First cause she was all crazy, and then cause she slashed him, but since that whole thing with Early, it's been different. He's enjoyin' the feelin' now. Almost like how he feels right b'fore he gets some trim only more feral and a hellova lot stronger.

"Since when did your little sis get so talkative bout sex?" Wash questions Simon.

Kaylee starts giggling.

"Kaylee." Simon whispers.

"What'd I miss?" Mal questions.

"Couple nights ago, I was hangin' out with Simon in his room." Kaylee answers.

"If this has somethin' to do with ya two bein intimate, I don't wanna know." Mal interrupts.

"We was just talkin' cap'n." Kaylee replies, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, River comes in and watches us for a few minutes and then asks Simon to explain what companions do."

"I thought ya said she was a ruttin' genius." Jayne comments. "Shouldn't she know?"

"I'll get to that." Kaylee replies. "So, Simon sputtered a few times and turned bright red. He then tried explainin' it but I didn't understand a bit of it; he kept usin' big words that I ain't never heard before. River cut him off bout 5 minutes into it, with a huge grin on her face. She kinda cocked her head to the side and said somethin' like, 'she knows about companions but finds it amusing to watch you try and explain it'. Then River just kinda skipped away. It was so gorram hilarious."

The crew starts laughing.

"You can laugh now, but wait until she does the same thing to you." Simon says. "She's getting better which means she's going to start getting more curious about what's around her. Which also means she's going to tease the rest of us about whatever she learns."

"Oh, shiny." Mal mutters.

-

"Preacher, ya wanna go first?" Jayne questions, indicating to the weight bench.

"No, I'll just spot for you." Book answers.

Jayne nods and drops his towel and water bottle to the ground before pulling off his shirt. He adds fifty pounds to the 100 already on the bar before lying down. Grasping the bar, he lifts it off its holder and starts his reps. Workin' out always relaxes him while at the same time makes him more focused. Mentally countin' each rep, he sees the preacher walk behind the bench to spot. He glances up at the catwalks and sees crazy lyin' on her stomach right above him. She's watchin' him lift and he can hear her coutin' each rep.

"Is she bothering you?" Book questions, also noticing River.

"Naw." Jayne grunts. "She ain't hurtin' nothin'."

Jayne tries not to watch her but his gaze kinda just floats back up. Her eyes are slightly closed now and she's breathin' just as hard as he is. He watches as her small, pink tongue moves out to lick her lips, not noticin' that he does the same thing. She starts movin' a bit, just little shifts of her body like she's uncomfortable or somethin'. Her skirt rises up a little with each shift until it's bout mid-thigh. He can see the tension in her leg muscles, the sweat that coats her skin. He can also feel himself growin' hard and just hopes the preacher don't notice. He hears Book talkin' and glances back to see the preacher talkin' to Mal and Zoe. He tries to stay focused on them but his eyes automatically go back to crazy. She's stopped countin' by this point and her mouth is hangin' open a bit, almost like she's pantin'. Her neck arches to the side and she rubs her chest against the walks. The fabric of her dress tightens against her small breasts and he can tell her nipples are all hard. He starts pumpin' harder, his arms burnin' somethin' fierce and gorram if he can't smell her arousal. Her eyes suddenly shoot completely open and she moans, loudly.

"What the?" Mal mutters. He glances up just in time to see River run across the walks. "What the hell was she doin?"

"She was countin' my reps." Jayne answers. He sets the bar back on its holder with shaky arms before lookin' at Book. "Ya wanna go now?"

"No, I'm not really in the mood." Book replies.

Jayne nods, grabs his stuff and leaves the bay.

"Alright, Shepard what's goin on?" Mal asks once Jayne's gone.

"I'm not sure." Book answers honestly. "At first I thought she was just counting his reps, like Jayne said, but...the way they were watching each other was different. It was like they were connected in some way. Honestly, it reminded me of the way animals act towards each other right before mating; a ritual of sorts."

"Fay hwa, ya tryin' to say they was flirtin' with each other?" Mal questions.

"It was more than that." Book answers. "Like she was trying to tempt him. You're familiar with horses, correct?"

"Yeah." Mal answers, unsure where he's going with this.

"So you know the way the mare will tempt the stallion beforehand." Book replies. "The dance she'll do, showing him herself. I think that's what she was doing."

"You think River wants to have sex with Jayne?" Zoe asks.

"Whoa, who's wanting to have sex with Jayne?" Wash says as he walks into the bay.

Mal, Zoe, and Book all turn towards him.

"River." Simon answers, him and Kaylee, and Inara walking in behind the pilot.

The crew turns to look at him, open mouthed.

"In the few months since Early, she's gotten better." Simon says. "She's the most cogent that she's been since before the academy. And she's been watching Jayne in a way I've never seen her watch somebody before. Almost like she's learning everything she can about him before she makes her move. Like a predator would."

"And you're ruttin okay with it?" Mal gasps.

"Well, I'm not about to challenge him to a sword fight over her honor, that would be your area of expertise, but I'm also not about to hand her some protection and tell her to go for it." Simon answers.

"What are you goin do?" Kaylee questions.

"Nothing." Simon replies.

"Nothin'." Mal repeats. "Ya ain't gonna stop her."

"How would you suggest I do that?" Simon questions. "Tell her that she can't? She'd just laugh at me."

"There has to be something we can do." Mal replies.

"Is anybody else here attracted to Jayne?" Simon questions.

"Sure." Mal answers sarcastically. "Gonna buy him some flowers and take him out to dinner. What kinda gao se question is that?"

"I wasn't asking you, captain." Simon replies. "Kaylee, Inara, Zoe, would you please answer my question."

"No." Zoe answers.

"Not at all." Inara replies.

"No." Kaylee says. "I mean he's hot and all but I ain't ever…he's too violent and scary for me. I know he'd never hurt me or nothin' but pretty much since the first time I met him, I've always thought he was kinda scary."

"So, if she's feeling desire for Jayne then it's her own." Simon replies. "It's something she is feeling not something that she is picking up from somebody else. And as much as I may not approve of Jayne as a future partner, I'm not going ruin her progress by trying to stop her. I can't do that; I refuse to do that."

"Sex is known to be rather therapeutic." Book comments.

"Ain't he just a bit too old for her?" Mal questions, not dealing with the idea very well.

"How old is he?" Simon questions.

"Sir, ain't he a few years younger than us?" Zoe asks.

"Yeah." Mal answers. "I'll be 36 next month so he's probably somewhere between 31-34."

"33." Wash cuts in. "He's the same age as I am."

"Okay, then, he's 33 doc." Mal says. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"My mother was only a few months older than River is when she married my father." Simon replies.

"And your father?" Book questions.

"30." Simon replies. "All Tam men marry at the age of 30."

"Huh." Kaylee mutters. "That don't make sense. Do ya just wait till you're 30 or is that when ya fall in love?"

Simon laughs. "Kaylee, love has nothing to do with it." Simon replies. "It's a business arrangement. My mother was promised to my father when she was 12. She turned 18 a few months before my father's 30th birthday. They married a few weeks after that."

"If that don't sound wrong." Mal comments.

"My parents were searching for my future bride when I left to rescue River." Simon adds.

"Ya would have just married whoever they told ya to?" Kaylee questions.

"Yes, that is the way it is done." Simon answers. "Jayne being 15 years older than River isn't what worries me. If he will see her as anything other than easy sex is what makes me worried."

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Inara replies. "Your sister is smart enough wait until she knows he cares about her before talking it to an intimate level."

"Yes." Book agrees. "I do believe she is going to make him pursue her."

"If that ain't gonna be entertaining as hell." Mal comments with a grin. "Jayne Cobb pursin' the crazy genius."

-

The lukewarm water hits River's shoulders and back, reminding her of raindrops. Her body feels tight and swollen, something she recognizes to be sexual arousal. Slipping her hands down the front of her body, she moans when her fingers brush over her hardened nipples. Watching Jayne doing his workout was almost as arousing as watching him fight is. Closing her eyes, River replays the way his muscles flexed, clenching and unclenching with each movement. The way the sweat flowed down his body to gather at his waistband. His tongue moving out to lick his lips, like a wolf grabbing the last bit of blood of its jaws. She uses her fingers to pinch and pull at her nipples and as a result, she feels herself grow more swollen between her legs. As she runs her hands down her tummy, she pictures Jayne's large frame.

Being small in stature, she's always been fascinated by large things. Clothing, furniture, toys when she was a child, and now Jayne. She wonders what his weight would feel like on top of her body, pinning her down until she's blanketed in nothing but Jayne. How if would feel to curl up on his chest like a cat, rubbing her scent all over him. Widening her stance, she slides her hands down her hips and moves them inwards to the swollen area between her thighs. Dipping her fingers between her folds, she's always fascinated by the wetness she finds there. She knows what it's for, her body's natural lubrication to make procreation easier. But what fascinates her is what causes her body's reaction; what things make her aroused.

She slips two fingers inside of herself, pumping them gently and slowly. She normally doesn't do it this way; normally it's as fast and rough as she can possible get her fingers to be. That's the way she likes it the most. But she decides to drawl it out. Her brother would be shocked if he knew how often she masturbates. Every time the Mal, Zoe, and Jayne get back from a job, especially ones where they end up exchanging gunfire. She can feel the adrenaline each of them feel after a fight. Zoe and Mal's don't really affect her. While they'll both kill people, it's not something they were made to do. Not like her. Not like Jayne. She can feel his bloodlust the moment he walks onto the boat. She's always missing after they return. Simon thinks it's because she doesn't want to be near them after they've killed people. It's actually the exact opposite; Jayne's bloodlust takes over every sense she has until she can't focus on anything but it. She usually ends up spending an hour in either the shower or one of her hidey places.

She can feel Simon's worry as he looks for her. Using her other hand to find her clit, she starts pumping her fingers faster as she presses down on the swollen nub. She can feel the muscles in her legs and stomach tense and she adds another finger to the ones pumping inside of her. With a pinch of her fingers around her clit and a deep thrust from her other hand, she pushes herself into an orgasm. She can feel the pleasure passing over her face, knows it'll light up her whole face like a sun. She bites her lip but can't hold back the moan building in her throat. Her walls clench tightly around her fingers and there's a gush of juices coating her hands from her release.

A few moments later, she pulls her hands away and rinses them under the flow of water. She then moves under the shower and rinses the sweat and fluid from her body before turning the water off and stepping out of the shower. She dries off quickly and pulls her nightgown on. Her body feels relaxed and she knows she'll sleep peacefully tonight.

"Mei-mei, are you okay?" Simon questions as she walks into her room.

"She is fine, Simon." River answers. "Just sleepy."

"That's good." Simon replies with a smile. "Do you need.."

"She doesn't need drugs." River interrupts. "She will sleep peacefully tonight."

"If you're sure." Simon says with a smile.

River smiles back before jumping into bed. She pulls her blanket up to her chin and waits for Simon to come say goodnight.

"You're doing so much better." Simon comments, sitting down next to her on the bed. "You've made incredible progress lately. I'm proud of you."

"She thanks you." River whispers. "She always knew you would be there. It helped."

"Of course I'll always be here." Simon answers. "There's no place I'd rather be. Did you have fun today?"

"Yes." River answers with a smile. "She got to tease the captain. That's always fun."

"Yes, but you need to be careful with him." Simon warns with a smile. "He's not used to having a little sister, especially a brat like you."

River sticks her tongue out at him. "At least she's not a boob like you." River growls back.

"I'm not…" Simon protests.

"You should just tell Kaylee." River cuts in. "Kaylee likes you and you like her."

"It's not that simple." Simon replies. "There are rules to follow, conduct."

"There's no reason to be so proper." River says. "Kaylee doesn't care about that. She just cares about you. But you won't do anything because you have to take care of the girl."

"Mei-mei, it's not that simple." Simon replies.

"Yes it is." River protests. "You want to be with Kaylee but your crazy sister is keeping you from doing anything. It's not fair; not fair to you, not fair to Kaylee, and not fair to the girl. She doesn't want to be the reason for her brother's unhappiness. He already gave up everything else for her."

"I'm not unhappy." Simon assures her.

"No, but you would be happier with Kaylee." River replies. "Just think about it, please?"

Simon sighs and runs his hands through his hair. "You know I can't say no to that face." Simon says. "I have no clue what to do, you know that right? Kaylee is so different from every other woman I've ever dated."

"You didn't date." River replies, rolling her eyes at her brother. "You met somebody at the hospital, and when you had the time, you would take them to dinner. But most of the time you forgot about them. You can't treat Kaylee like that or she will have to hurt her brother."

"What?" Simon gasps. "You would hurt your own brother?"

"Yes." River answers. "If you hurt her friend she has not choice but to hurt you. Don't worry, she wouldn't hurt you that much."

"That's good." Simon mutters. "I guess."

"She loves you, Simon." River says with a smile.

"I love you too, mei-mei." Simon replies. He bends down to kiss her forehead before turning the light out and going into his own room.

-

Jayne turns the water on and climbs into the small shower stall, not waiting for the water to warm up. He's harder than a gorram rock and he didn't even touch her in anyway. Just watchin' her, knowin' she was all aroused cause of him, well he don't get this hot b'fore gettin' some trim. He could ruttin' smell it; her arousal thick above him. He's gotta wonder how Book, Mal, and Zoe didn't smell it, it was so gorram strong. Then he has to wonder why his stomach tightens at the thought of someone else smellin' her when she's all worked up. His right hand moves down to grasps his hard cock, pumping quickly. Closing his eyes, he remembers the look in her eyes above him; how they looked all lust filled. Her body as she rubbed it against the walks, like a gorram cat. He can't help wonderin' how she'd feel rubbin' against him that way; how she'd feel under him as he pounds into her, his mouth bitin' at her throat while her nails dig into his back. Rememberin' her pink little tongue movin' out to lick at her lips and imagines them bein' his lips she's lappin' at.

That's the thought that makes him cum; he don't kiss on the mouth, hasn't since that whole 'goodnight kiss' thing started comin' around. He's never had it done to himself, but he's been round nuf whores to know not to trust em. Most of em'll steal ya blind given half a chance and he ain't bout to make it easier on em. So the fact that he wants to kiss crazy arouses him and scares the shit out of him at the same time. He moves his hand under the spray of water to rinse it off and then his body before turning the water off and walkin' over to his bed. He grabs a towel and dries off somewhat before dropping down onto his bed, tryin' to think bout anythin' besides the fact that he's suddenly got this mad desire to kiss crazy.

-

"Kaylee, can she come in?" River questions, knocking on the hull outside of the engine room.

"Sure." Kaylee says from her hammock. "Come on in, River."

"Is your girl okay?" River questions, her head cocking to look at the engine.

"She's fine." Kaylee answers with a smile.

"That's good." River replies. "The girl has something to show you. Would you please meet her in the hallway closet outside of the mess in five minutes?"

"Um, why five minutes?" Kaylee questions, slightly confused, slightly scared but mostly curious.

"The surprise is not ready yet." River replies. "Five minutes, please?"

"Okay." Kaylee agrees. She glances at the clock next to her before turning back to River. "Five minutes."

"Shiny." River replies with a grin and then she's gone.

"Wonder what's she up to?" Kaylee ponders out loud. She glances at the clock again, waitin' for the time to pass.

-

"Simon." River says, standing right outside of the infirmary.

"Mei-mie, are you okay?" Simon questions worriedly. River never comes to the infirmary without him making her.

"She is fine." River assures him. "She just needs your help. She is too short."

Simon sets the equipment he's cleaning down, curious as to what his sister wants. She grabs his hand once he's outside of the infirmary and starts dragging him down the hall towards the mess. He starts to turn into it, when she tugs on his hand, directing him to the large storage closet a few feet away. She opens the door and directs him inside.

Simon flips the light on before turning back to his sister. "What am I supposed to be doing?"

"She is too short to reach the top shelf." River answers. "There is something up there and she wants it."

"What is it?" Simon questions, not certain she should have whatever it is.

"She does not know." River answers. "That's why she asked you to get it. She needs to know."

Simon grabs the chair that's blocking the shelves and hands it back to his sister to get it out of the way. He pushes past some small crates, until he can get through to the shelves.

-

"Alright, I couldn't wait no more." Kaylee says, moving next to the open closet door River is standing by. "What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"It's in there." River answers, giving Kaylee a gentle push into the closet.

"Simon, what are ya doin?" Kaylee questions, bumping into his back.

"Kaylee, why are you down here?" Simon questions.

They both turn to look out the closet at the grinning River.

"Simon may proper but his sister isn't." River says. Before they can say anything else, she slams the closet door shut.

"Guess this is my surprise." Kaylee comments, smiling at River's sneakiness.

Simon glances at Kaylee before moving to the door. He reaches his hand out to open it, a bit upset with his sister's antics. It doesn't budge.

"She locked us in." Simon tells Kaylee.

"Yeah, I figured that out a second ago." Kaylee replies. "Probably put that chair under the handle so's we couldn't open it."

"I'm sorry, Kaylee." Simon apologies. "She had no right to do this. I will be sure to talk to her about it once she decides to let us out."

"Ain't no need to be sorry." Kaylee says, moving up to him. "I ain't."

Simon opens his mouth to say something when he's cut off by Kaylee. Or more accurately, by Kaylee's mouth.

-

"So, do we got a job?" Jayne questions, following Mal and Zoe down the hall.

"No, we gotta prospect of a job." Mal answers. "Badger's guy will meet us on a moon bout 4 hours ride from here. And no, before anybody asks, we ain't gettin' leave. There ain't nothin' there but dust and more dust."

"Sounds shiny." Wash comments.

"Yeah." Jayne agrees. "Ain't it lunch time yet? I'm starvin'."

"You're always hungry." Wash comments. "Don't think I've ever seen anybody eat as much as you do."

"Watch it little man." Jayne growls. "Burn a lot of energy bein' this mean."

Mal starts to agree when he sees somethin' funny. Walkin' past the mess entrance, he confused to see a chair shoved under the handle of the closet door. "What the hell?" Mal mutters. "Zoe?"

"I've got nothing, sir." Zoe replies, equally confused.

Mal reaches a hand out to remove the chair.

"Don't move it yet." River says.

Mal jumps but manages to hold back a squeal. Turnin' round quickly, he sees the little genius leanin' against the mess doorframe.

"We can't let them out yet." River explains.

"Let who out, mei-mei?" Inara questions calmly.

"Kaylee and Simon." River replies.

"They're in the closet?" Wash questions. "How do you know that?"

"She locked them in there, of course." River answers. She spins back around and walks into the mess.

Mal glances at the gathered crew to see the same confused expression that he knows he must be wearin'. With a sigh, he walks into the mess to find the little genius doin' the straddles on his table. "Thought we talked bout bein' on the table?" Mal comments.

"She has broken no rules." River replies. "It is not meal time." She reaches out to grab one foot, stretching her body down to touch her head to her knee.

"Don't that hurt?" Jayne grunts, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his head cocked, lookin' at her with a curious expression.

"No." River answers. She moves her head up to look the merc square in the eyes. "She likes the way it feels when she stretches her legs." She then touches her head to her other leg briefly before bending forward to touch it to the table in front of her. She holds that position for a few moments before bending her body backwards, lying down flat on the table with her legs still straddled.

Jayne feels his jaw drop as he watches crazy strechin'. Gorram, he ain't ever seen anyone bend like that.

Mal watches his merc leerin' at the genius with a sigh. Gorram preacher was right. She's showin' off, just like a mare does when tryin' to tempt a stallion. And judgin' by the look on Jayne's face, it's workin'. He still finds the idea a bit disturbin' but if'n her brother ain't gonna do nothin', neither is he.

"Alright, little witch, ya wanna explain why ya locked your brother and Kaylee in a closet?" Mal questions, wincing at her new position. That can't be at all comfortable.

River sits up and looks at the captain. "She was growing tired of Simon being a boob." River answers. "He is too proper to make the first move but Kaylee isn't. The girl gave Kaylee the opportunity to get what she wants."

"Ya sayin' ya locked em in a closet so they…" Mal starts.

"They are not having sex." River interrupts. "Simon is much to proper to just have sex with Kaylee. There are rules to follow. The courting ritual is one that he will follow."

"Ritual?" Zoe questions.

"Flowers, gifts, dates, holding hands." River verifies. "He must do all these things before taking the relationship to a more intimate level. Kaylee will enjoy it."

Mal notices her tone and the roll of her eyes with a grin. "I'm takin' it ya don't agree?"

"She finds the whole thing to be a waste of time." River replies. "If a boy likes a girl and she likes him back, why waste time denying what they both want? If they're going to have sex, what difference is it if they do it now or a month from now? The whole idea just makes her frustrated."

Inara laughs. "I'm guessing you won't ever follow this?"

"No." River replies. "She will give the boy some time to make the first move but if he takes too long then she'll do it herself."

Mal groans inwardly. She's gonna end up seducin' Jayne. "I'm gonna go let them out." Mal says. "I need to have a little talk with your brother."

"There is no need to threaten him." River stops him.

"Now, little witch, I know he's your brother but if'n he's plannin' on courtin' little Kaylee, he needs to know what'll happen if he hurts her." Mal responds.

"He already knows." River replies. "She told him she would hurt him if he hurt her friend."

"Ya threatened your brother?" Jayne questions.

"Yes." River answers. "Kaylee is her friend. She has to protect her friends. She wouldn't hurt him that much."

"Ya would really hurt your brother?" Mal questions. She freaked out when he got shot; he can't believe she would actually hurt him.

"Yes." River replies. "Just like she would hurt Wash if he hurt Zoe, not that he ever would. Or if anybody hurt Inara. They are her friends; she has to protect them."

"Thanks, River." Zoe replies with a grin. "But I can handle him."

"She knows." River agrees with a smile. "You could kill him with a pinkie. But she offers to do it for you if you can't."

"Thanks." Zoe says again.

Wash moves to hide behind his wife, making the watching crew laugh.

River stands up and walks across the table to stand in front of Jayne. "She would like help down since she is no longer allowed to jump." River tells the large merc.

Jayne grabs her hips and lifts her off the table to set her gently onto her feet. She don't weight next to nothin' and he can span her waist with his hands.

"She thanks him." River says, smiling up at him. "Now she must go hide."

"Why?" Mal questions, noticing the small space between the large merc and the small genius. You wouldn't be able to slip an arm between them.

"Simon enjoyed being lock in the closet with Kaylee but he will still feel the need to find and lecture his sister." River answers. "She loves her brother but finds his lectures to be rather boring." With one last look at the merc, she skips out of the mess.

"I'm startin' to understand why Simon said she could be a brat." Mal mutters.

River's boot hits him in the ass.

"She is not a brat." River growls, walking back into the room to grab her boot. She picks it up and then sticks her tongue out at the captain before leaving the mess again.

"Are too." Mal mutters, moving to hide behind Inara in case another boot comes flyin' into the room.

"Am not." River voice echoes into the mess.

-


	2. Missions

Title: Missions

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: R (this is a bit dark, darker than I normally write)

-

Mal props his feet up on the console, staring out into the vast nothingness in front of him. Serenity's quiet, as she should be, the rest of the crew sleeping peacefully. He'd woken up bout half an hour ago and unable to go back to sleep decided to check their progress. Not an unusual occurrence, not since Early's visit. Between him, Zoe, and Jayne, the ship was protected at all hours. He ain't havin' someone else sneakin' onto his boat, into his home. Like a thorn in his side, it still irks him to no end that the bounty hunter was able to get on his ship without no one knowin' but River. Shouldn't have happened, he survived the war without unknowingly bein' ambushed. Now, every little sound he hears at night, makes him alert, his pistol held strong in his hand. Someone else tries sneakin' on Serenity, he's gonna know.

"She's safe." River whispers.

Mal spins around, gun drawn to point directly between the girl's eyes. She just stares at it, her head cocked slightly to the side. "Gorramit, little witch, don't you know better than to sneak up on an armed man?" Mal growls, lowering the pistol.

"She would have stopped you before you shot her." River replies. She walks over to plop down into the co-pilot's chair, a pad of drawing paper and a box of pencils held in her hand.

Mal holsters his gun before looking over at the genius. "What're ya doin' up at this hour?" Mal questions. "Do I need to go get your brother?"

River tilts her head to rake her eyes over him. "She sees no injuries." River replies. "Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm fine." Mal answers. "I meant you."

"She's fine." River says. "Just not tired. Besides, Simon's dreams were keeping her awake. She likes Kaylee but doesn't want to see her like Simon does."

"You can see into our dreams?" Mal questions, uncomfortable with the idea. Most the things he dreams bout aren't meant for little girls to see.

"Not a little girl." River growls. "Okay, she is little and she is a girl but she isn't a child. And yes, she can see into dreams but most of the time doesn't. But Simon's dreams were too bright and fluffy; made her head hurt. She doesn't like his dreams. Or Kaylee's. Always feels dirty after leaving."

"Why's that?" Mal questions.

"Too clean." River replies. "Too much sunshine and happiness. Much too bright. She prefers the darkness."

Mal doesn't know what to say to that so he doesn't say anything. Girl shouldn't prefer death and destruction to sunshine and happiness. Don't seem right.

"You should sleep." River comments, cocking her head at him again. "Your exhaustion coats your skin like a shawl. Serenity's safe; nobody's around for thousands of miles. We are very much alone out here."

"I said that before and look what happened." Mal replies. "You should be sleeping too."

"She doesn't need much sleep." River says. "Sometimes she pretends to make Simon feel better; he worries too much."

"Yeah, as he should." Mal replies. "Ya know, think this is the first time we've talked without you confusin' the ruttin' hell outa me."

"Things are quiet up here." River says, pointing to her head. "She can block most of the thoughts now, no longer tumbling around, trying to find herself."

"Your brother finally found his cure?" Mal questions.

"There is no cure to make her what she was before." River answers. "River Tam, the River Tam that Simon is trying so hard to find, is dead. She died a long time ago. Nothing will bring her back. Simon hasn't accepted that but she has."

"Ya ain't dead, little witch." Mal says slowly.

"You're silly, captain." River giggles. "Of course she's not dead. She's sitting right in front of you. But she isn't the same girl that she was and she never will be. Too much was taken out and too much put back in. She will always be..different. No amount of drugs or time is going to change that. But she isn't broken anymore. Just a little cracked."

"If the drugs didn't fix you, what did?" Mal asks, understanding what she means. The little sister that Simon is trying to bring back is gone. Just like the man he used to be is.

"She isn't sure if you want to know." River replies. "She's never told anyone; Simon would be upset or scared. He's already sacrificed too much for her, she won't break him too."

"Is it somethin' bad?" Mal questions.

"Depends on how you look at it." River replies. She studies him for a few minutes, her head cocked as though she's reading his mind.

"Gorramit, I don't want you readin' my mind." Mal growls.

"She's not." River assures. "Not in the sense that you're thinking. The mind is like a book; a large, endless chapter book with no index. She's just glancing at the cover, the same way you do."

"I don't read minds." Mal replies.

"Body language." River states. "You read people to see if they're a threat or not, if they can be trusted. You're decent at it, Inara and Book are better, both being trained to do it. She's just making sure you won't tell. She won't read minds, unless she has to. A person's mind is a private thing and she has no right to be there. It would be no different than rape."

"Tell who?" Mal asks.

"Simon." River answers. "And Kaylee. She doesn't want Simon to know, not now. Maybe once he's happy and secure with Kaylee, then she'll tell him. But if he finds out now, he'll just push everyone away. And Kaylee is too pure. She sees the good in everyone; she doesn't need to know how bad people really are. It would dampen the sunshine."

"Yeah." Mal agrees. "Kaylee's always been like that, don't know how, though. Livin' like we do, she should know people ain't nice."

"She will tell you the story of how she came to be, but you have to promise not to tell Simon or Kaylee." River says.

"How do ya know I'll keep my word?" Mal questions.

"You will." River answers. "Because you agree with her."

Mal nods.

River stands up and moves in front of him. "Pinkie swear." River says, holding her pinkie out to the highly amused captain.

Mal laughs but hooks his pinkie into hers and gives it a good shake. River smiles brightly at him before moving back to her chair.

"Alright, little witch, let's hear this story." Mal orders.

"You remember when she first got here." River says. "How she was."

"That ain't a sight I think I'll ever forget." Mal replies. "And yes, I remember how you was all crazy."

"Not crazy." River corrects. "Not really. She crawled out of that box and was covered in thoughts. It took a while to clear the fuzz from her brain and really see what was around her."

"That's it?" Mal questions. "That's the story?"

"No, that's the beginning." River replies. "When the fuzz cleared, like it always did, she started looking around for her mission; why she was here. But no matter how hard she searched, she never found it. Sometimes it made her upset and sometimes it made her violent."

"Mission?" Mal prods.

"She thought this," River gestures around herself, "was a simulation. Something the academy made; a test of sorts. They did it before. Got deep into her mind and set up fake environments for her to fight her way out of. She would have to discover what her mission was or wait until she was attacked and then fight her way out. But there was no mission that she could find, no purpose. She thought she found it once but was wrong."

"When?" Mal questions.

"The Reaver ship." River answers. "That's why she left Serenity and walked onto the Reaver ship. She thought that was her mission but they were all dead; there was nothing left to fight."

"You thought you was supposed to fight Reavers?" Mal gasps.

"She's done it before." River replies. "The academy would sedate her and then plant stuff in her head; they put her on Reaver ships before and she would fight until she defeated them all or until they killed her. Then she would wake up and they would do something else."

"Killed you?" Mal growls. "How?"

"You know how Reavers kill, captain." River replies.

"So these were like dreams?" Mal asks quietly.

"No, not dreams." River answers. "It's different than dreams; have you ever played a virtual reality game?"

"Yeah." Mal replies. "When I was a kid."

"They were like that." River answers. "It was like being there; she could feel every blow, every cut, every touch. She felt everything."

Mal's not real sure he wants to hear the rest of this, cause right now he feels like killin' somethin' and just wonders if it gets worse or better. The fact that she hadn't cut on herself and killed every gorram one of em just shows how ruttin' strong she is.

"Once she realized that Reavers weren't her mission, she went back to searching." River continues, pushing out the rage Mal is feeling. "The more time that passed the more confused she got. Nobody was attacking her, not even the big one. He would growl at her but never attacked. And everyone treated her nice, tried to protect her. She couldn't handle that because that just meant when the mission finally came out, she'd have to either kill them all or watch them all die. She didn't want to. As much as she tried to tell herself it was just a mission, just a test, she couldn't stop herself from caring about them. So, then she started thinking that maybe the test was her being able to hurt people she cared about. She didn't want to hurt anybody on Serenity but she couldn't stay in the simulation any longer. So, she decided to test it. She figured if she attacked one of the crewmembers then everyone would attack her and she could get out. But part of her wondered if maybe she was wrong, if maybe that wasn't the test. She calculated all the odds and came to the conclusion that attacking the large one would be the safest route. If it was a test, then everyone would try to kill her; if it wasn't, she knew he could take the attack, that he would strike back, but ultimately wouldn't be any worse for wear. So, she slashed his chest and he hit her back, just like she predicted. But nobody else attacked her; in fact, everyone else defended her. She was back to square one."

"You attacked Jayne hopin' that we'd try and kill you?" Mal questions.

"Yes." River answers. "But not even Jayne would try to kill her. He hit her, not because it was her, but because it is his natural reaction to strike out when attacked. It's her reaction too."

"And if we had tried to kill ya?" Mal questions.

"Then she would have finished the mission." River answers. "That's what she does."

"You don't still think this is all a mission, do you?" Mal questions.

"No." River answers. "She knows she's not in the academy now; she learned that on Ariel."

"This bout what Jayne did?" Mal asks.

"Yes." River answers. "He woke her up. When they were captured, she could feel the hands of blue coming. As they escaped, she finally realized that it wasn't a simulation. The blue hands observe the missions; they would never be in it. When she felt them, she knew it was real, that she was out of the academy. She didn't feel alive then but she knew, she knew in her gut and in her brain, that she wasn't lost in her own mind anymore. Then she had to try and figure out what that meant; what it meant to be free, to not be an experiment. It was hard because she never thought she would get free; she knew Simon would try to get her. She wrote him coded letters but never really thought he'd be able to do it."

"What was the point of those missions?" Mal questions.

"Research." River answers. "See how much they could learn from her brain. She has a very unique brain and they tried to mold it into their liking. Cut a bit here, snip a bit here and she'd become the perfect weapon. But she needed training, needed to learn to fight against unbeatable odds."

"When you'd figure out what it means?" Mal questions. "When'd you start feeling alive?"

"Early." River answers. "As much as she'd like to deny it, being given a mission, one in real life, one that wasn't in her head did what no drug ever could do. Made her feel alive. It's rather ironic; she had to almost die in order to feel alive again. That's what she doesn't want Simon to know; she's a killer, a violent, government trained killer. She would have killed Early; snapped his neck like a twig had you not made him float away."

Mal sits back and absorbs the information, trying to understand how anyone could do that to person, let alone a teenage girl. "Is this why you've suddenly got this fascination with my merc?" Mal questions a few minutes later.

River's eyes close slightly and a small, half smile floats across her face. "Jayne has a darkness that rival's her own. And she can feel it, humming under his skin, singing out to hers." River whispers huskily. "She likes it. Makes her feel warm and alive and safe for the first time since she was little."

Mal closes his eyes, not wanting to see the lust induced face she's wearin'.

"More than lust." River corrects. "And no, she didn't read your mind. She knows what her face looks like when she thinks about Jayne. It's an animalistic urge that goes deep inside her; she doesn't want to have sex with Jayne, she wants to mate with him."

"Gorramit, little witch, I can't be hearin' that." Mal groans. "Why would you even tell me that?"

"Same reason she told you everything else." River replies. "A girl likes to confide in her daddy."

"Ain't your daddy." Mal protests.

"You look after her, protect her, yell at her when she's misbehaved, tells her she did a good job when she does." River argues. "You set limits, give her rules. Simon never would. She can talk him into anything with a look. But it doesn't work on you most of the time. Simon doesn't yell at her, he feels too guilty to do it. But you do. You may not have a biological connection to her but you do have an emotional one; just like with Kaylee."

"Guess I can't argue with that." Mal mutters.

"So, captain daddy, does she have your permission to let Jayne pursue her?" River asks.

"And if I say no?" Mal questions back.

"Then she will just have to sneak around." River answers.

"Still think you're too young for that hundan." Mal replies.

"Age wise, maybe." River says. "But how many people have gone through what she has? Her trials make her older."

"True." Mal agrees.

"Or, if you want to subdue the blood lust she's experiencing for Jayne for a few weeks, you could let her go on jobs with you." River offers with a smile. "Participating in violent acts should control the urges for a while. Though, being violent with Jayne watching just might make it worse. She's not sure yet. Experiments will have to be done to see what effects Jayne has on her while fighting."

"You ain't goin' on jobs." Mal growls.

"Then she will have to mate with Jayne." River replies. "It's the only way to correctly control the blood lust. She can only do so much on her own."

"On your…" Mal mutters. "Suo-yo duh doh shr-dang! If I'm supposed to be your pa now, you can't go sayin' things like that to me. I don't wanna know that."

River giggles.

"You really are a brat." Mal mutters. "And don't you go throwin' no more boots at me or I'll ground you or something."

"She's never been grounded before." River comments. "It might be fun."

"How's bein' sent to your room fun?" Mal questions.

"Because she can find ways to sneak out." River smirks. "She likes puzzles."

Mal tries to look pissed but just ends up smiling at her.

River jumps up suddenly and walks over to the lockers across the bridge. She takes out a blanket and uses it to cover Mal up. "You need to go to sleep." River orders. She bends down and kisses his cheek before returning to her own chair. "She will wake you up if anything occurs."

"You gonna keep buggin' me bout it if I don't go to sleep?" Mal questions.

"Yes." River answers.

"Fine, little witch." Mal mutters. "You best wake me up if somethin' happens."

"She will." River assures him.

Mal watches as she opens her pad of paper and starts drawing before closing his eyes and drifting off.

-

"Has anyone seen River?" Simon questions, moving quickly into the mess.

"No." Jayne grunts, not really awake.

"You lost your sister?" Wash questions.

"Yes." Simon answers. "I went to wake her up only to find her bed empty."

"I ain't seen her, Simon." Kaylee replies. "But I'll help ya look."

"Thanks, Kaylee." Simon says, smiling sweetly at her.

"You're welcome." Kaylee replies, smiling sweetly back.

"Some of us just woke up." Jayne growls. "Ain't wantin' to see all that mushy go-se this early."

"Don't be so grumpy, Jayne." Kaylee says.

"Why not?" Jayne replies.

"Because it's so different from your normal, bubbly persona." Wash comments.

Jayne flips him off.

"No thanks." Wash replies. "Simon, I'm heading up to the bridge. Think Mal's up there. He might know where she is."

"Okay." Simon says.

"Come on, Jayne." Zoe orders.

"Why I gotta go for?" Jayne grunts. "I didn't loose her."

"Mal said he wants to talk bout the job coming up." Zoe replies. "Probably wants to do it before breakfast."

Jayne mutters under his breath but stands up with a groan. "Too damn early to be up, if you ask me."

"Good thing we didn't." Zoe replies. She leads the way out of the mess and runs into Inara and Wash, both making their way to the mess.

"Book, have you seen River?" Simon questions.

"No, son." Book answers. "I haven't."

"Me either." Inara replies.

"We're goin' to the bridge to see if cap'n seen her." Kaylee says.

Inara and Book follow the assembled crew onto the bridge only to stop at the sight of the captain and River sitting quietly on the bridge.

"Mei-mei, what are you doing…" Simon starts.

"Shh." River shushes her brother. "You'll wake up captain daddy."

"Captain what?" Wash questions with a bark of laughter.

"Too late." River mutters. She sits her pad on her lap and looks towards the waking captain.

"How long I'd sleep for?" Mal mumbles as he stands up and stretches.

"3 hours, 26 minutes and 47 seconds." River answers.

"Huh." Mal mutters before dropping back into his chair. He spins around to see all of his crew watching him. "What're ya all doin' up here?"

"Looking for River." Wash replies. "Captain daddy."

"Don't you be callin' me that." Mal orders.

"Mei-mei, you can't call Mal that either." Simon says.

"She can." River argues.

"Mei-mei." Simon protests.

"Doc, it seems your little sisters been gettin' some strange urges lately." Mal says, giving him a specific look. "One bein' she's decided to adopt me as her very own pa."

"That's so sweet." Kaylee gushes.

"Don't know bout all that." Mal mutters. "Ain't ever been sweet before."

"Don't we all know that." Inara mutters.

"What was that?" Mal replies.

"Nothing." Inara says.

"Alright, little witch, you got some chores to do." Mal orders.

"Chores?" River questions, cocking her head.

"Yep." Mal responds. "You're gonna help little Kaylee make breakfast and then clean the mess. And, since you decided to lock em in that closet yesterday, you get to clean it, dong ma?"

"Does she have to?" River questions, a pout crossing her lips as she looks at him with large eyes.

Simon sees the look she's using, the one that always works on him and looks towards Mal, wanting to see the older man's reaction.

"Yes, she does have to." Mal replies. "That look ain't gonna work on me, we done decided that. You can save if for your pushover of a brother."

River laughs happily and jumps up. "She knows." River replies. "She was just testing you."

"Now git." Mal orders.

River starts to walk away when she turns suddenly and grabs her pad of paper. "She drew pictures." River says, ripping off several sheets of paper.

"Ain't that sweet." Wash comments with a grin. "She drew her captain daddy some pictures."

Mal glares at Wash before taking the sheets of paper River's holding out to him. "Shun-sheng duh gao-wahn." Mal mutters as he flips through the papers.

"What?" Wash questions, moving to look over Mal's shoulder. "What the?"

"What did she draw?" Simon questions.

Mal wordlessly hands him the paper. The remaining crew gathers around the doctor to look at the drawings.

"It's Serenity." Kaylee gasps.

The first pages was the front view of the ship, the second the right side, and so on. She had drawn the outside of the boat from every angle. Each drawing was done right down to every detail, every scratch and bump the boat had received.

"River, these are amazing." Inara comments. "How long have you been working on them?"

"She drew them while captain daddy was snoring." River answers. "She made more." She hands Mal some more papers, this time of the inside of the boat.

"You make up these place?" Mal questions, not knowing what some of them are.

"No." River replies. "They are some of her hidey place. Not all of them but a few. She will show you later so you will have more places to hide illegal cargo."

"Sounds like a plan." Mal says, a bit startled that she knew of places that he didn't.

"She's smaller than you." River explains. "She can find better places to hide."

"Huh?" Wash mutters. "What is she talking about?"

"Just explaining how she knows of places that I didn't." Mal replies.

"Sir, are you okay?" Zoe questions. "Cause it seems like River's mind reading is spreading off on to you."

"I'm fine." Mal replies. "That all of them?"

"For you." River answers. "They didn't take her that long and she got bored. She drew other things too." She then hands Wash a couple sheets of paper.

"Dinos." Wash says happily. "Very violent dinos."

"That's what dinosaurs did." River explains. "They weren't very friendly. She couldn't draw lies."

Zoe glances at the papers her husband is holding, taking in the detail with a sharp eyes. The first page was of a T-Rex eating a smaller dinosaur, blood and flesh hanging from its sharp teeth, the other dinosaurs' corpse on the ground in front of it. The next page had a flying dinosaur, she don't know what it's called, flying towards a nest. The last was of two triceratops fighting.

"She drew Kaylee pictures too." River says.

"Really?" Kaylee questions excitedly. She takes the paper from River and looks at them before squealing loudly. "It's my girl."

"What?" Mal questions.

"She drew me pictures of the engine." Kaylee explains, handing them to Mal. "Thanks River."

"You are welcome." River responds. She holds the last few pages out to Jayne.

"Huh?" Jayne mutters, looking down at the paper. He takes them from her, flipping through them quickly. "Ya drew my girls?"

"She likes drawing them." River responds. "Especially Vera. She's pretty."

"Yeah." Jayne agrees. "She's a beaut."

"Mei-mei, did you draw women?" Simon questions, thinking she's talking about Jayne's whores.

"No, silly." River answers. "His girls. He has many girls, polished and hung up. They're very pretty."

"Huh?" Mal mutters. "Jayne, what'd she draw?"

Jayne hands him the papers.

Mal looks at them and then at the merc. "These right?"

"Yep." Jayne replies. "Right down to the modifications I made myself."

"Little witch, when'd you see Jayne's guns?" Mal questions. "Cause I made a rule bout that."

"No touching guns." River verifies. "She didn't touch them. She saw them before, when he was leaving for a job."

"But that couldn't have been for more than a few seconds." Mal comments.

"She learned them all." River replies. "She could tell you their names, if you would like."

"Not right now." Mal says. "You got stuff to do, remember?"

"She remembers." River replies. "Come on, Kaylee. She has things to do." River grabs Kaylee's hand and then grabs her brothers. "You too, Simon. It won't hurt you to do some manual labor." She then drags them both down the steps and away from the bridge.

"Alright, sir." Zoe says, once she's sure they're out of hearing range. "What's going on?"

"Shut the door." Mal orders.

Book and Inara go to leave, thinking they're going to discuss the job.

"Nara, Book, want you two to say." Mal stops them. "Everyone get comfortable; I got some things to share."

Zoe shuts the door before moving to lean against the console next to Mal. Wash plops down in the chair River vacated while Book takes the chair to the side. Inara leans against the lockers and Jayne leans against the closed door.

"First off, this don't go past this room." Mal orders. "Nobody else hears bout it, dong ma?"

"How's that gonna work?" Jayne questions. "Can't she just read our ruttin' minds to find out what we're talkin' bout?"

"Don't work that way." Mal replies.

"How do you know that?" Book questions.

"She told me." Mal answers. "Said the mind's like a book. She don't look past the cover. Said a person's mind is a private thing and readin' it would be just like rape."

"Oh." Jayne mutters, relieved. His mind ain't no place for her to be.

"Now, I want everyone's word that they ain't gonna say nothin' to Kaylee or Simon." Mal says.

"It's her brother." Book protests. "Doesn't he have the right to know?"

"She don't think he can handle it and frankly neither do I." Mal replies.

"Handle what?" Zoe questions.

"Story of how she came to be 'saner'." Mal replies. He thinks back on what she told him and feels the rage filling his body again. Some folk deserve to die for what they done to that innocent girl.

"She told you?" Inara questions. "Why?"

"Said a girl should be able to confide in her daddy." Mal answers. "Hell, most of me wishes she hadn't. Why that girl ain't slit her own wrists, I don't know. If I been through half the shit she has, I'd done myself in a long gorram time ago."

"That bad?" Zoe questions.

"Worse." Mal answers. "They turned her brain into their ruttin playground, puttin' stuff in it that no person should ever experience."

"What kinda stuff?" Jayne questions.

"I'll get to that." Mal answers. "First thing that needs to be realized, every gorram thing they put into her brain, she experienced like it ruttin' happened. Said it was almost like a virtual reality game. And I know she didn't tell me a lot, just enough to explain why she seems to be better."

Mal then proceeds to tell them point blank what she told him. He can hear Inara gasp and cover her mouth, can feel the tension in Zoe's body next to him. A glance at the Shepard and he sees a look he ain't ever seen on the man. Wash's face whitens and he grips the chair tightly. He don't even have to look at Jayne to feel the rage pouring off the merc's body, but a glance forward shows him somethin' he's never seen in Jayne's eyes. He's seen the merc wanna kill but ain't ever seen it with that much anger. Or seen the merc look like he wants to protect somethin'. River musta been right bout that mating thing, cause Jayne's lookin' like some large beast who's mate's been hurt.

"Reavers?" Inara gasps.

"Yep." Mal replies. "And from what she said, more than once. Said she'd either kill em all or they'd kill her."

"Kill how?" Jayne growls.

"Jayne, you know how Reavers kill." Mal says. "That's all she would say."

Jayne clenches his fist, not used to the rage he's feelin'. Sure, he's felt anger before but nothin' like this.

"So, she thought all of this, all of us was just another test they put in her brain?" Wash questions.

"Yep." Mal responds. "Couldn't figure out what the mission was or why we weren't attackin' her. Said after a while, after she nobody tried to kill her, she figured that she was supposed to do the attackin'. Which is why she slashed your chest, Jayne. Said if it was the mission, then we'd all try to kill her and she could fight and it would be over. If not, you could handle it better than the rest of us. She knew ya'd hit back, said it's your natural reaction to bein' attacked, nothin' personal. She ruttin' attacked hopin' we'd try to kill her."

"But she doesn't still think it's a test, does she?" Inara questions quietly.

"Nope." Mal answers. "Surprisingly enough, it's Jayne's little stunt on Ariel that, in her words, woke her up. Felt those blue-handed guys comin' and realized that it wasn't in her head. Said she still didn't feel like she was alive but no longer felt like she was trapped in her ruttin' mind. Didn't feel alive till Early. Said almost dyin' made her finally feel alive."

"Why?" Book questions a few moments later.

"Research." Mal answers. "Her brain is all special-like and they was tryin' to learn from it. I'm thinkin' they just wanted to see how much ruttin' shit they could fill it with till she burst. And they were makin' a weapon, a perfect weapon and weapons need to train. Guess there's no better way to make a perfect killer then pin em against a bunch of rapin' and murderin' Reavers."

Mal gives them a few moments to absorb everything before talking again. "I don't know how she's survived this, but she has." Mal says. "She ain't goin' back. If they come for her again, then they gotta get through every gorram person on this boat to get her."

Everyone nods their agreement.

"Same thing with their ruttin' parents." Mal growls. "They ain't gettin' near her neither. From they way she acts, they'd probably just send her back. Jayne, I'm trustin' you to look after her if'n she gets off the boat, understand? Someone tries to nab her, you know what to do."

"Yeah." Jayne agrees.

"Good." Mal replies. "Now, I told you all this for two reasons. One, I think you'll needed to know, to understand why's she the way she is. Two, I couldn't handle knowing alone. But, like I done said, Kaylee and the doc don't find out till she wants them too."

"Yes." Book agrees. "I think this would be very detrimental to Simon's mental well being, Kaylee's too."

"That said, you guys take the time you need to absorb this." Mal says. "Don't go treatin' her like she's a child cause she ain't. Nara, I want you to take her to your shuttle sometime when Kaylee's got the doc distracted and see if you can't get her to talk bout anything sexual that may have been done to her. I don't think she'd tell me and I know she ain't gonna tell Simon."

"Okay." Inara agrees.

"I'm gonna head on down to the mess." Mal says. "I'll see you all in a bit, Nara, walk with me." He and Inara leave the bridge quietly, leaving the rest of the crew to their thoughts.

"I want you to get her some form of stable birth control." Mal says once they're out of hearing range of the bridge. "Somethin' that her brother ain't gonna know she's taking."

"Why?" Inara questions.

"Way she talks bout it, it's more than a lust that she's feelin' for Jayne." Mal answers with a wince. "It's like some animal urge that she can't control. Pretty much said either she 'mates' with Jayne or goes on jobs, those are the only ways to control the blood lust."

"She told you this?" Inara asks. "And you didn't flip out?"

"Hell yes, I did." Mal replies. "Specially when she started talkin' bout how she's handlin' it now. I'm gonna get Kaylee and Simon off doin' something sometime in the next few days and I want you to have that talk with her and if you have it, giver her the protection thing."

"What are you planning on doing?" Inara questions with a small smile. "Locking her and Jayne in a closet?"

"Naw." Mal answers. "Didn't you see Jayne's reactions? He's bout a step away from claimin' her for his own. Don't think I'm gonna need to do anything."

"Are you sure you're not on drugs?" Inara questions. "I never would have thought in a million years that you would be helping River get Jayne."

"Just want what's best for her." Mal says quietly. "She's been through so gorram much, she deserves to get what she wants. And she wants Jayne for some ruttin' reason."

"You're taking your new parenting responsibilities very seriously." Inara comments.

"Yep." Mal replies. "What can I say, her and little Kaylee bring out my protective 'sweet' side."

"It looks good on you." Inara says as she steps into the mess. Her gaze automatically goes to River and notices with a smile as the genius scolds her brother for burning the protein.

"Simon, you are a doctor." River says. "How can you not follow simple instructions? A trained ape could do this."

"Then let's get Jayne in here." Simon mutters.

River kicks him in the shin, hard.

"Owww." Simon squeals, hopping on one leg as he holds onto his injured shin. "You kicked me."

"She knows." River glares. "And she'll do it again if you don't stop being mean." She grabs the pan of burned protein out of his hand and dumps it into the sink. "It's not nice to pick on somebody when they're not in the room. Jayne doesn't call you names unless you're there."

"What's wrong with Simon?" Wash questions upon seeing the doctor hopping around the table to sit down in a chair.

Mal spins around to see the rest of the crew moving into the mess.

"River kicked him." Kaylee says with a giggle.

"Why?" Zoe asks.

"Simon was being mean." River answers. "He shouldn't be mean about people if they're not in the room to be mean back."

"Jayne's way of being mean would be to knock me across the room." Simon protests.

"What do I got to do with it?" Jayne questions, not really paying attention to the injured doc. Instead, he's watching River, a huge smile on her face as she watches the protein cook. He don't know how, but that little slip of a girl has brought out a protective side he didn't know he had.

"Jayne, you're not going to threaten the doc?" Wash questions.

"For what?" Jayne grunts.

"For implying that you're a trained ape." Wash answers.

"That's why she kicked him?" Jayne asks. He turns to look at the doc and sees his leg propped up on the table as he examines his shin, a bruise already forming on the pale skin. "Looks like I don't gotta threaten him. She's already done it for me."

"Yes, she did." Simon mutters. He's a bit upset that his sister kicked him over the mercenary.

"Damn, she kicked you hard." Mal comments, looking at the bruised skin.

"I noticed." Simon replies.

"Guess that'll learn ya to be a bit nicer." Mal says with a grin.

"Guess it will."

-


	3. Intentions

Title: Intentions

Series: Let if Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: PG-13

-

Jayne finishes moving round the last bit of cargo and wipes the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Hearing a noise, he grabs his gun off a crate and starts looking around for whatever made it. When he don't see nothin' he slips the gun in the back of his shorts and walks into the mess. He don't see nothin' there so he grabs a bag of protein snaps and a glass of water to go sit out the rest of his shift on the bridge.

Plopping down in the pilot's chair, he kicks his feet up on the console and stares out at space, bored already. How Wash sits up here for hours, Jayne'll never understand. He wants nothin' more than to go to bed, seein' how's its bout 3am, but knows Mal'll kill if'n he does. He supposed to be watchin' the ship, makin' sure nobody gets on. He pops a couple of the snaps into his mouth, enjoyin' the cheese-flavored snacks.

Jayne hears a noise behind him and uses his legs to kick off of the console to push himself around, his pistol coming up in the air.

"What're ya doin' up here?" Jayne questions River. She just stares at him, her face lookin' awful pale against the dark strands of her hair. "Girl, you okay? Do you want me to get your brother?"

"No." River whispers, taking a few slow steps into the bridge. "He would just give her sedatives. She doesn't like them; reminds her of before, when she didn't know what was real and what wasn't."

"Oh. You want me to go get Mal?" Jayne questions between clenched teeth.

"No, she feels quite safe here." River answers.

Jayne watches as she stumbles forward, her steps lacking her usual grace. "What's wrong with you?"

"Sleepy." River answers. "Can't go to sleep though. They'll come; get under her skin, biting and scratching. Trying to make her theirs. But she doesn't want to belong to them."

Jayne swallows heavily, his hand gripping the arm rests in a death grip. "Nightmares?"

"Yes." River replies quietly. "She can feel them coming; knows they'll be there when she shuts her eyes. So she doesn't shut them."

"How long it's been?" Jayne asks.

"She doesn't want to answer." River replies. "You'll be mad that she didn't say something and tell captain daddy and then he'll be mad."

"How long?" Jayne questions again.

"Since the night before she told captain daddy her story." River answers quietly.

Jayne thinks back, calculating the time. "That's been 5 ruttin' days." Jayne growls.

"5 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes, and 12 seconds." River corrects.

"Little one, you can't go without sleep for that long." Jayne says quietly.

"But she can't sleep." River protests. "It's not safe. She doesn't feel safe; they'll get her."

"Ain't nobody gonna get you." Jayne assures her. "Won't let anybody touch you."

"You'll protect her?" River questions. "Keep her safe?"

"Yeah." Jayne grunts. "Ain't nothin' gonna happen to you."

River smiles brightly at him and walks over to the lockers to grab a blanket. She throws it over her shoulders and then crawls onto Jayne's lap.

"Uh, what are you doin'?" Jayne questions as River wiggles around on his lap, trying to find a comfortable position.

"You want her to go to sleep." River replies. "She has to feel safe first."

"And you feel safe here?" Jayne asks.

"She'll have no nightmares here." River answers as she rubs her face against his chest.

Jayne spins the chair around and puts his feet back on the console, adjusting the bundle on his lap. She stretches her body and yawns loudly. She then closes her eyes and lays her head back on Jayne's chest. Jayne rests one hand on her ass, to keep her from sliding down and the other across her back. Her legs are lying over his, her smooth skin rubbing against his hair-roughened. The blanket is pulled up under her chin but he can still feel the even puffs of her breath against his chest. For someone who couldn't fall asleep, she sure did awful fast.

Jayne's gotta admit watch duty ain't so bad with a warm body on top of his. Probably the reason Wash is always wantin' Zoe up here. He glances down at her face and can see the black marks under her eyes. How she's been hidin' this from all of them, he don't know but he aims to figure it out. Somebody shoulda know she ain't been sleepin'.

He don't know how long they've been loungin' there, him with his feet up on the console and River all curled up on him when he hears somebody walkin' up behind him. He reaches for his gun when a voice stops him.

"It's just me." Mal says when Jayne grabs his gun. He walks around the pilot's chair and stares down at the lump curled up on the merc's lap. "How long has she been there?"

"Don't know." Jayne answers a few seconds later. He's waiting for the captain to flip out and threaten to castrate or throw him out the airlock. "Bout an hour or so."

"Oh." Mal mutters.

"She ain't been sleepin'." Jayne says quietly. "Said she ain't slept since tellin' you that story. Says she'll have nightmare bout Reavers or some such."

"How'd you get her to go to sleep then?" Mal questions a few moments later.

"Didn't." Jayne answers. "She just crawled up on my lap and said she was safe. That she wouldn't have nightmares here."

"Huh." Mal mutters. He walks over to the cabinet and grabs a couple of pillows and another blanket. "Follow me."

Jayne puts his feet down and stands up slowly. He adjusts River against his chest and carries her off the bridge and after the captain. He assumes they're going to take her back to her room and is a bit startled when Mal turns into the mess. The captain throws the pillows down on the couch.

"Give her here." Mal orders.

Jayne grits his teeth but hands River over to the captain.

Mal smirks at the look on Jayne's face.

"Captain daddy." River whispers, opening her eyes.

"Right here." Mal assures her.

"Jayne." River whimpers.

"Just a second, little witch." Mal replies. "You'll get him back in a second."

River whimpers again and looks towards the large, confused mercenary.

"Cap, what's goin' on?" Jayne asks.

"Take your boots off and put your gun on the floor." Mal orders.

Jayne glares at him but does as ordered, curious as to what the captain is planning.

"Lay down and get comfortable." Mal says.

Jayne plops down on the couch and stretches out on his back, the pillows under his head. Mal sets River down beside him and she settles against his chest, her leg thrown over his hips and her face snuggled against his neck.

"I'm headin' back to the bridge." Mal says as he starts to leave.

"You're just gonna leave us here?" Jayne asks unbelievably.

"Yep." Mal replies. "She feels safe with you, that's all that matter."

"Oh."

"And Jayne, if you're lookin' at her and just seein' a easy piece of trim, you best get off that couch now." Mal says, spinning around to glare at the merc. "Girl's already been through enough hell, she don't need to be played."

Jayne just closes his eyes and pulls River tighter against his body, his arm wrapped around her back possessively.

Mal watches the way Jayne holds her for a second and then leaves the mess.

-

Simon finishes getting dressed and glances at his watch. It's just a little after 6am and he knows most of the crew is sleeping. He walks into his sister's room and notices her absence with a sigh. He then walks down towards the mess to get something to drink and comes to a complete stop right inside the doorway. River is curled up on Jayne, sleeping more peacefully than he can remember seeing her. Normally, her eyebrows are furrowed and she mumbles but she looks so peaceful that he almost wonders if she's actually breathing.

"Hey doc." Jayne rumbles, startling Simon out of his thoughts.

"Jayne." Simon replies. He moves over to the couch to look down at them. "How long has she been asleep?"

"What time is it?" Jayne grunts.

"A little after 6." Simon answers.

"Bout 3 hours then." Jayne answers.

"Oh." Simon replies. "Wash and Zoe will be up soon. You should take her to her room; you guys can sleep there."

"We?" Jayne questions as he sits up. River moans and wraps her arms around his neck.

"She needs to sleep." Simon replies. "I can tell she hasn't been for a day or two. She seems to be resting quite peacefully with you."

Jayne slips his feet into his boots and then stands up. "Been almost 6 days actually." Jayne corrects.

Simon's face goes pale. "Just take her to her room." Simon orders. "I'll explain to Mal where you are."

"Okay." Jayne replies. He adjusts River against his chest and reaches down to grab his gun.

"Jayne." Simon says quietly.

"Yeah." Jayne replies, coming to a stop in the doorway.

"Thank you." Simon says.

"Yeah." Jayne mutters. He carries River down the hall, into her room and sets her on her bed.

"Jayne." River whispers. "Don't leave."

"M'not." Jayne grunts. He kicks off his boots and sets his gun on the table before looking down at her. "Scoot over."

"Why?" River questions.

"Cause I sleep on the edge." Jayne replies. River dutifully scoots back against the wall, lying to face Jayne on her side. Jayne lies down on his back next to her. She scoots closer to him and buries her face in his side and throws one leg over his hips while one arm wraps around his stomach.

"Comfy?" Jayne questions with a chuckle.

"Yes." River answers.

Jayne moves onto his side a ways and wraps his arm around her, putting his face in her hair. He feels her breaths on his side and breaths her scent in deeply before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

-

Jayne wakes up slowly to feel a light weight on his chest and soft fingers tracing his face. He opens an eye to see River peering down at, her fingers moving over his face.

"What're ya doin?" Jayne rumbles.

"Learning." River answers as she traces down his nose.

"Learnin' what?" Jayne grunts.

"You." River answers. "But now you're awake and she'll have to start over again. Your parts are all different now."

"They are, huh?" Jayne questions with a smirk.

"Yes." River answers. She traces across his eyelids and forehead before moving down his cheekbones.

"What time is it?" Jayne questions as she moves across his lips.

"A little after noon." River answers.

"Damn, we slept a while." Jayne comments. "You okay, have any nightmares?"

"No nightmares." River replies. "You were her dream catcher, kept all her nightmares away."

"Um, how?" Jayne questions.

"You make her feel safe." River answers. "Big and strong, you scare her nightmares away."

"That so?" Jayne questions with a fake scowl.

River giggles. "She likes that face."

"Ya ain't supposed to like it." Jayne growls. "You're supposed to be all scared."

"Sorry." River replies. She opens her eyes widely and her mouth drops open while she stares down at him. "Is that better?"

"Brat." Jayne says with a laugh.

River sticks her tongue out at him. Her hands move to trace his goatee and before he can say anything, she bends down to rub her face against his.

Jayne exhales heavily. "What're ya doin' now?"

"Feeling your face against hers." River answers as she rubs her cheek against his goatee.

"Uh, you're gonna get razor burn." Jayne replies a few seconds later.

"I know." River replies. "Doesn't matter though."

"What was that?" Jayne questions.

"She knows that she'll be burned." River replies.

"Oh." Jayne mutters. "Think it's time we got up. Crew must be wonderin' where we are."

"Okay." River replies as she rolls off his chest. She walks over to her trunk and grabs a dress before walking into the bathroom.

Jayne sits up and puts his boots back on right as River walks out of the bathroom, dressed in a clean, but over sized dress.

"Inara wishes to talk to her." River says. "She must go but will she see you later?"

"Ain't gonna be nowhere else." Jayne replies. "Whatcha gonna talk to Nara bout?"

"Captain daddy wants Inara to talk to her about the academy." River answers.

"Oh." Jayne mutters, again. He stands up and follows her out of the room. "I'll walk with you."

-

Inara hears a knock on her shuttle door and gracefully stands up to walk over to open it. "River." Inara says cheerfully. "Please, come in."

River smiles and follows the companion into her shuttle. "You wanted to see her?" River states, cocking her head at Inara.

"Yes, I did." Inara replies after a moment's hesitation. "I'm going to assume you know what I want to talk to you about."

"Yes." River agrees. "She didn't read your thoughts but knows what captain daddy was too uncomfortable to ask."

"Actually, Mal thought you were too uncomfortable to talk to him about it." Inara replies. "Would you like to discuss it with me?"

"Not particularly." River answers. "But she will answer your questions so that everyone will stop wondering."

"If you're sure." Inara replies. River nods. "While you were in the academy, did they touch in a sexual nature?"

"She was never touched physically." River answers. "Their interests were in different areas. They would send her thoughts; what they wanted to do to her, what they wanted her to do to them."

"Like fantasies?" Inara questions.

"No." River replies. "It was…they pushed their thoughts into her head until she had to feel them. She knows the difference between fantasy and what they did. Fantasies are about person's desires and wants; they're not meant to push in on people. She's seen fantasies, had some of her own. What they did was about seeing if they could make her feel desire, if they could effect her physically through her mind."

"But they didn't touch you?" Inara asks as she pours River a cup of tea.

"No." River answers. "They had as little physical contact with her as they could. They had a fear that if she were exposed to more physical contact than necessary, that it would lessen her mind reading abilities. They wanted all her contact to be through mental instead of physical."

Inara grabs a box off the table and pulls out a syringe. She fills it with the correct dosage and moves over to sit down next to River. River holds out her arm and waits for Inara to inject her. "You already know what this is, don't you?" Inara questions after she puts the syringe away.

"Yes." River answers.

Inara takes her cup of tea and looks back at River. "Would you like to talk about what the Reavers did to you in those simulations?"

-

Inara walks into the mess and glances at River, Kaylee, and Simon sitting on the couch. She walks over to the counter Mal is leaning against before looking back at River.

"Simon, she wants you and Kaylee to play with her." River says suddenly.

"Play what, mei-mei?" Simon asks.

River cocks her head as though to think about it before looking back at her brother. "Jacks." River answer.

"Oh, River, ya kicked my ass at that last time." Kaylee says.

"She will use her left hand and close her eyes." River replies. She turns to look at her brother with large eyes. "Please, Simon. She wants to play."

Simon groans. "You know I can't say no to that."

"Kaylee?" River whispers.

"Fine." Kaylee replies.

River laughs happily before she jumps up, grabs Kaylee and Simon's hand, and pulls them out of the room.

Mal follows them to the door and closes it once they're out of sight.

"Alright, Nara, what'd she say?" Mal demands.

Inara doesn't answer; instead she walks over to open a cabinet and takes out a bottle of whiskey and a few glasses.

"I'm startin' to get a bad feelin'." Mal says as Inara pours a healthy amount into each glass. "Any conversation that starts with booze ain't feelin' me with any sense of confidence."

"Well, it shouldn't." Inara replies as she sits down.

"Nara, what'd she say?" Jayne growls as he downs his glass.

"Enough." Inara answers. "They never physically touched her but that doesn't mean she wasn't violated. They would make her feel what they were thinking, what they wanted to do to her."

"They never touched her though?" Mal growls out.

"No." Inara answers. "She said they had no desire to physically touch her; that they wanted to keep their contact with her mental rather than physical. But they would push their thoughts, images of what they could do, into her to see if they make her feel physical desire."

"What about the Reavers?" Jayne questions quietly.

"She wouldn't really talk about it." Inara answers. "She said she knew that it didn't really happen, that it was something they put in her head. She said sometimes it comes back and she can remember what happened but that mostly happens in dreams. Which is why she didn't sleep for almost six days."

"She's done it before?" Mal questions. "Gone days without sleepin'?"

"She can feel them coming. She knows when the nightmares will come and she won't go to sleep." Inara replies.

"How did we not notice?" Book questions.

"She uses her hair to cover her face, doesn't look directly at people when they talk, and keeps to herself a majority of the time so none of us will notice she's not sleeping." Inara repeats what River told her. "That's why she doesn't wear shoes most of the time; they're too heavy and she's afraid she'll trip over them. She said she doesn't go to sleep when she feels them coming; that she will fight it with everything she has. If she waits until her body just gives out, she'll fall into a dreamless sleep."

Inara sees Mal and Jayne both clench their fists and glances over at Zoe to see the former soldier normally expressionless face flash with emotion before going blank again. "The night that Early came, when she grabbed Jayne's gun in the bay…." Inara starts.

"Yeah, we remember." Mal replies.

"She hadn't slept for 5 or 6 days then, not really." Inara replies. "She said she would fake it until Simon went to sleep and then she would just sit up until he woke up and then she would pretend to be asleep again. She almost fell asleep but made herself get up and walk around the ship. That's when she grabbed the gun; she didn't realize what it was. I'm guessing she was in some type of delirious state from exhaustion."

"Why didn't she say something?" Zoe asks.

"She didn't want to be a burden." Inara replies, holding up her hands to put a halt to the protests. "Her words, not mine. She said we gave up so much to protect her that she doesn't want to be a burden on us. Said she could handle it on her own."

"She ain't handlin' it." Mal replies. "She avoidin' it."

"Why not ask Simon for something to help her sleep?" Wash asks. "He must have something that will keep her from dreaming."

"She don't want drugs." Jayne replies. "Told me it reminds her too much of the academy; wakin' up not knowin' what's real and what ain't."

"Did she fake it today?" Zoe asks. "Does anybody know if she got any sleep?"

Mal and Jayne look at each other, being the only two there that knew where the genius slept.

"Yeah." Mal replies. "She slept."

"How do you know?" Inara questions. "She could have faked it."

"She didn't." Jayne answers.

"And you're sure because?" Wash prods.

"Cause she slept all sprawled cross my chest for close to 9 ruttin' hours." Jayne answers, not liking how he's suddenly the center of attention.

"Sir?" Zoe questions, looking towards the captain for his reaction.

"It's okay, Zoe." Mal replies. "I already knew. She was sleepin' on top of him when I went to check the bridge. Made him bring her down to the couch and they crashed here. Doc made em go to her room when he woke up this mornin'."

"And you're sure she slept?" Book questions.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Jayne replies, rememberin' the little, almost silent, purrin' sounds she makes while sleepin'. "She said she wouldn't have nightmares with me; called me a gorram dream catcher, don't know what that is though."

"It's an ancient object that Native Americans used back on Earth-that-was." Book explains. "Supposedly, the dream catcher would catch all a person's bad dreams, only letting them have good ones."

"So Jayne catches River's nightmare?" Wash asks confusedly. "How does that work?"

"She said I scare her nightmares away." Jayne replies gruffly.

"But you don't scare her?" Wash questions. "Cause, I know I'm not the only one who thinks you can be frightening as hell sometimes."

"Jayne doesn't scare her." Mal replies with a wince. "She likes his, how did she put it, oh, yeah, darkness."

Inara quickly puts her hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter.

"Ain't funny, Nara." Mal growls.

"Oh, I believe it is very funny." Inara replies with a burst of laughter. "I just wish I could have seen the look on your face when she told you."

"Told you what?" Zoe asks. "I thought you told us everything that she told you."

"I left out some things." Mal replies with a groan. "Some things I'm still wishin' she didn't tell me."

"Something to do with the academy?" Book questions.

"No." Mal replies. He looks over at his uncomfortable merc with a smirk. "Somethin' to do with her intentions towards Jayne."

"What?" Jayne grunts. "What bout me?"

"Is it something to do with what Simon told us?" Wash questions.

"Yep." Mal replies.

"What?" Jayne says, sitting up straight. He glances at each person around the table, trying to figure out what they're talking about. "What'd the doc say? And what intentions?"

"Oh, her plan to let you court her." Mal replies, smirking as Jayne goes stiff with shock. "She's done asked for permission and everything."

"And you gave it to her?" Wash questions when Jayne doesn't.

"Not like she gave me a ruttin' choice in the matter." Mal replies. "If I told her no, she said she'd just have to sneak around."

"River is really planning on having sex with Jayne?" Wash asks.

"She's what?" Jayne yells. "When did this happen?"

"Not really sure." Mal replies. "And no, Wash, she ain't plannin' on havin' sex with Jayne."

"Oh." Jayne grunts, sitting back in his chair, looking rather disappointed.

Mal smiles evilly at Jayne. "She's plannin' on mating with him."

"Wuh du ma huh ta duh fung-kwong duh wai-shung doh." Wash squeaks. "Mate? Like animals?"

"Yep." Mal answers, wincing again. "It ain't a conversation I like thinkin' on. Look on her face was enough to give me nightmares."

"You ain't gonna stop her?" Jayne questions, still slightly shocked.

"Ain't really got a choice." Mal replies. "Sides, it's the lesser of two evils."

"How is River 'mating'," Wash says, using air quotes, "with Jayne the lesser of two evils?"

"Cause it's either that or let her go on jobs." Mal replies.

"She ain't goin' on jobs." Jayne growls.

"I couldn't agree more." Mal says. "But that's the only other way to cure the 'blood lust' she's got for you."

"You're not going to tell the rest?" Inara questions with a smile. "How she's taking care…"

"DON'T." Mal yells, putting his hands over his ears. "I can't think on that again. Bad enough hearin' little Kaylee talkin' bout those batteries of hers."

"Huh?" Jayne mutters, trying to figure out what Kaylee's batteries have to do with anything. "What's that got….oh." He can't hide the look that comes when thinkin' bout River and whatever she's usin' in place of batteries.

"Jayne, if'n you value your life, you'll get that ruttin' look off your face." Mal growls. "I ain't gonna stop her but that don't mean I wanna see any of it."

"I'm disturbed." Wash states a few moments later. "Is anybody else disturbed? It was bad enough when Book starting talking about dancing horses and now I've got some mental picture of a couple of animals going at it."

Everybody stops to think about it, the lustful, animalistic look crossing Jayne's face again.

"JAYNE!" Mal yells.

Jayne doesn't even flinch, just continues staring into space.

"Ruttin' hell." Mal growls. "I give up. He's done got the same look River had."

"I'm still disturbed." Wash says.

"You ain't the only one." Mal replies as he stands up and starts across the room. "I'm gonna go see how that games goin'."

Everybody stands up and starts to leave, finally startling the merc out of his thoughts.

"Where's everybody goin?" Jayne questions as he follows them.

"Bay." Zoe answers.

"So, Jayne, have you starting working on how you're going to court our little genius?" Wash questions.

"Court?" Jayne grunts, coming to a stop. "What the hell do I know bout courtin'?"

"I don't think he has to worry about that." Inara comments. "She doesn't approve of the 'courting ritual', remember? I believe she said it's 'a waste of time'."

"Yeah." Jayne replies with a smirk. "Thinks if two people are wantin' to sex it up, they should just get to it."

Mal groans again, his hand covering his face. "I think the gorram doc was wrong. This is what going mad feels like."

-


	4. Post

Title: Post

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: PG

lj-cut text"Post" 

-

"You are not a very gracious loser, Simon." River says with a glare.

"It's a little hard to be gracious when you just beat us with your eyes closed." Simon replies.

"What's goin' on?" Mal questions upon seeing the siblings glaring at each other.

"River just kick our asses at jacks." Kaylee answers. "And she done used her bad arm and had her eyes closed the entire time."

"Simon isn't very good at losing." River adds. "Though he should be used to it." She sends a smirk at her brother and giggles when he glares at her.

"I'm going to get you for that, brat." Simon glares as he grabs his little sister and starts tickling her ribs. River giggles and screeches under Simon's fingers. Then with a huff, she flips him onto his back and sticks her fingers into his side, rendering him motionless.

"Mei-mei, what…I can't move." Simon gasps as he attempts to move.

"Little witch, what did you do?" Mal asks.

"It's a cluster of nerves that paralyzes a person when a certain amount of pressure is added." River answers and then looks over at Kaylee. "Would you like to know where he is the most ticklish Kaylee?"

Kaylee giggles although she is a little startled by what River did to Simon.

"Mei-mei, don't you dare." Simon orders.

River giggles. "You are unable to move." River replies. "How will you stop her?" She then moves her free hand under Simon's right armpit and starts tickling him while at the same time twisting her other hand, releasing him.

Simon feels the quick pain in his side again and realizes he can move but with his sister's hand digging into his armpit, he is unable to do anything but laugh.

River smiles at Simon's laugher, being reminded of tickle wars from when she was little. She bends down to kiss his forehead before jumping up and backing away from him.

Simon pants on the ground, catching his breath. He glances up to see his sister inching away. "Get back here, brat." Simon orders. "I'm going to get you for that."

"You'll have to catch her first." River grins. "And she is much faster than you." She's gone with a twirl of fabric, dashing past Jayne, her hand running down his arm before running up the stairs and out of the bay.

"You okay, doc?" Mal questions, holding his hand out.

Simon grabs Mal's hand and the captain pulls him to his feet. "Yes." Simon replies. "Although I haven't been tickled in years."

"What was up with the nerve thing?" Wash asks. "How does that work and could she do it before?"

"She never did it before." Simon answers. "And she was right when she said a certain amount of pressure would make a person paralyzed, although it's not as easy as she made it seem. The nerves are not directly under the skin and you have to actually dig a little to find them. Add in the fact that you have to twist them in a certain direction to a certain degree while only adding a certain amount of pressure. If done incorrectly, nothing will happen."

"Huh." Mal mutters. "Seems a bit useful."

"Don't it seem a bit wrong?" Jayne questions.

Everybody looks at him.

"What?" Jayne grunts. "Just seems like somebody could use to do whatever they want to a person. I'm all for killin' somebody fore they kill you but they should at least be able to move fore you do it."

"I don't think she'd do it so that she could hurt one of us." Simon replies a few seconds later, not having thought about what Jayne pointed out.

"I don't think she would either." Jayne agrees. "Just think it ain't a fair way of fightin."

"Least I know she can't do it to me." Mal replies with a smirk.

"What, you think being her 'captain daddy' is going to protect you?" Wash questions, using air quotes again.

"He had the cluster of nerves moved durin' his first tour." Zoe replies. "Got tore up by a piece of scrap metal."

"Oh." Wash replies.

"Interesting." Simon replies, looking at the captain with a critical eye.

"Yeah, well, ain't like I meant to." Mal mutters, feeling like a blood sample or somethin' under the doc's gaze.

"You should have told me though." Simon says.

"Didn't think it was anybody's business." Mal replies.

"It's my fault, actually." Simon continues, not even hearing Mal. "I should have questioned all of you on your medical past. I can't believe I've been here for almost a year and not made detail reports. I'm going to start with Wash and Kaylee, since they both probably have the least amount of medical history."

"Start what?" Jayne asks.

"Making reports detailing your medical past." Simon answers. "What injuries you have experienced, any allergies that you might have, and surgeries that have been done."

"You wanna know how often and where we've been hurt?" Jayne replies. "For our whole life or just the past while."

"Your life." Simon answers.

"Hell doc, I don't remember how many times I've been hurt in the past year let alone my whole ruttin' life." Jayne says.

"Me either." Mal agrees. "Just some of the bigger ones that required surgery and the like."

"Hmm." Simon mutters. "I'll have to figure something out. First though, I'm going to look for my sister, not that I'll find her."

"I'll help you look again." Kaylee says, reaching to take his hand.

Simon clasps her hand with a smile and they walk out of the bay.

"They're so sweet." Inara comments.

"Yeah." Mal agrees. "Makes a person wanna swear off anything with sugar."

Jayne laughs as he follows the captain out of the bay. They start back towards the mess when he stops suddenly and looks above them.

"Jayne, what're ya lookin' at?" Mal questions, looking up.

Jayne reaches above him and pushes a panel to the side.

"I didn't know that moved." Mal says. "How'd you know?"

Jayne doesn't answer him, instead reaches inside until he feels warm flesh under his hand. "Come down from there." Jayne orders, pulling on the limb.

"Who are you talkin'…." Mal stops when he hears the giggle. "Gorramit, little witch, get down from there. You're libel to cut yourself open on somethin' or get poked."

"Or come across a spider." Wash adds.

There's a loud squeal followed by a grunt from the merc as River drops heavily into his arms, her face in his neck.

"What's wrong with you?" Jayne growls, trying to adjust her body. She just clings tighter, her hands digging into his back.

"She doesn't like spiders." River whispers with a shudder.

"There ain't no spiders round here." Mal replies with a small smile.

"But Wash said there was." River says, turning her head to look at him. "Why would he lie?"

"Okay, there might be spiders." Mal agrees.

River squeals again and buries her face back into Jayne's neck.

"But there ain't no spiders right in this spot." Mal finishes. "They hide in dark places and stuff."

"She knows." River replies. "The average person swallows seven spiders a year. They crawl into your mouth to lay eggs, they like small, dark, damp places, and your body automatically swallows."

Inara shudders and then glares at Mal when he laughs.

"Alright, that's a bit disconcertin' but as long as you're asleep, guess it don't matter none." Mal says.

"But what if she were to awaken as it was crawling into her mouth?" River questions, her breath hot against Jayne's neck. He adjusts her body again, one hand supporting her hip as the other grips her thighs. "She would not like to wake up with a spider hanging out of her mouth."

"Don't think anyone would." Mal agrees as he starts walking towards the mess again.

"Don't get why you're freakin' out now." Jayne comments, looking down at her. She lifts her face, looking back through the curtain of her hair. "Ya've been on this boat for almost a year. Didn't you realize there'd be bugs?"

"Spiders are not bugs." River corrects. "They are arachnids. And no, she never thought about it."

"If you're this afraid, one would think you'd think bout it more." Mal comments. "Didn't you get spiders at home?"

"Mother saw an ant once." River answers, settling against Jayne's chest as he sits down in a chair. "We stayed in a resort for two weeks while the entire house was fumigated."

"For a ant?" Zoe asks. "Ain't that a bit extreme?"

"Gabriel Tam would never live with any insects." River answers. "It would be uncouth."

"Oh." Zoe replies.

The conversation turns off the subject of bugs when Book questions Mal about their next stop. As the group around the table starts talking, River's body slowly relaxes little by little until she's just sitting on Jayne's lap, her gaze moving from person to person.

Jayne looks down at River and can't help the smirk that moves across his face. Barely holding in laughter, he walks his fingertips over her bare arm, letting the laughter loose when she squeals loudly.

The table turns to look at the duo when River squeals just in time to see the genius pinch the merc's chest.

"That was mean." River growls, burying her head into his neck again. "And when she is done being scared, she will be mad at you."

Jayne chuckles again as he feels her breath heating his skin. "Yeah." Jayne agrees. "I can tell."

-

"You still mad at Jayne?" Mal questions River as she follows him towards the bay.

"No." River replies. "She tried to be but he makes it difficult. She needs her Jayne to make her feel safe and he does a good job. It is difficult to stay mad at him because of that."

"So he's yours now?" Mal asks.

"She would like him to be." River answers. "And he will be, once he decides to pursue her. She fears she will become impatient and take matters into her own hands."

Mal glares at her.

She giggles.

He glares harder.

"She likes talking to you about this, captain daddy." River says between giggles. "When you glare at her, a vein in your forehead throbs. She finds it funny."

"Brat." Mal mutters as they walk into the bay. The rest of the crew are waiting there, looking rather impatient.

"What took you so gorram long?" Jayne asks.

"I had to get changed." Mal answers.

"So did she." River replies. "Her dress was not appropriate for an outing."

"Was your dress inappropriate too?" Wash asks with a smile.

"You wanna stay on the boat?" Mal growls.

"We're going to a space station to pick up post." Wash replies. "It's not the outing of the year. That threat isn't going to do much."

"Zoe." Mal growls.

"Husband, behave." Zoe orders.

"Can we go now?" River questions. "She is determined to successfully eat an ice planet."

"Let's go." Mal orders, ushering them off the boat. He gives Jayne a look and notices the merc is already standing directly behind the genius, his eyes looking around at the people on the crowded space station. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out some money. "Load us up."

Jayne nods as he pockets the money.

"Captain daddy." River says.

"Yeah, little witch?" Mal replies.

"Are you planning on getting another not-dead corpse?" River questions with a smile.

Mal glares at her again. "No." Mal growls. "But if'n I do, will you tell me if it's actually dead or not?"

"She might." River replies. "Depends on how entertaining it will be if she doesn't."

Inara and Zoe laugh at the look on Mal's face. "You really are pushin' for that groundin' thing." Mal says.

Simon snorts.

"What's so funny doc?" Mal questions, glancing over at him.

"I just think it would be funny." Simon answers. "You do realize she'll find away out of her room seconds after you lock her in there."

"Simon is right." River agrees. "She knows how to escape from her room without opening the door."

"You best not be crawlin' through my heatin' ducts." Mal warns.

"Sides, ain't there spiders in there?" Jayne questions, smirking when she lets out a small squeal.

"Jayne, stop torturing her." Mal orders, smiling at the panicked expression on her face, knowing if they were on the ship, she'd have crawled up the merc's body to hide her face in his neck again.

"Fine." Jayne agrees. "Come on, crazy girl, we got stuff to buy."

"Wait a second." Simon replies. "Why is she going with you?"

"Cause I said so." Mal replies. "Ain't nobody, including feds, gonna notice her with Jayne by her side, they'll be too busy watchin' him."

"You will let her get an ice planet?" River questions Jayne.

"Sure." Jayne replies, glancing down at her. He pulls her against his side as he shoulders through the crowd, the captain, Zoe, Wash, Inara, and Book going in the opposite direction while Kaylee and Simon walk follow them. "After we load up though."

"Very well." River replies as she leans into his side.

Jayne drops his arm around her shoulder as he leads them to the weapon's shop.

Simon holds Kaylee's hand, thinking how different this visit to the station is compared to the last one. For one, he's holding Kaylee's hand and not insulting her and for another, his sister has the large merc wrapped around her, like her very own bodyguard.

"She seems relaxed round Jayne." Kaylee comments.

Simon looks down at Kaylee and then looks at the backs of his sister and the large merc. "Yes, she does." Simon agrees. "He seems to make her feel safe enough to let her guard down."

"You're takin' this well." Kaylee says. "I woulda never thought you'd handle River wantin' Jayne this well."

"I didn't think I would either but while he may be uneducated and crude at times, he does seem to generally care about her." Simon replies. "And he seems to want to protect her, which frankly, is something I know I can't really do. Besides, he's much better than any match my parents would have made for her."

"Whadda mean?" Kaylee questions, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"My parents would have chosen a rich, successful but emotionally retarded core husband for her." Simon replies. "More emotionally retarded than I am. Most likely, he would have treated her like a possession and not cared about her or her feelings. Judging by the way Jayne talks about his mother and Matty, he doesn't see women that way, at least not women besides whores. She deserves to be treated like a person and not an object."

"I can't believe you're talkin' so nice bout Jayne." Kaylee says, a bit shocked.

"Yes, well, you can't tell him." Simon replies. "It will ruin the dislike we have for each other."

"Men." Kaylee mutters under her breath. "Ain't gonna ever understand how your brains work."

Simon smiles down at her and then frowns when he sees Jayne open a beat up door and lead River inside. "What's inside there?" Simon questions Kaylee.

"Guns." Kaylee answers. "And weapons. Jayne's loadin' up."

"Oh." Simon mutters as he opens the door and gestures Kaylee inside. He looks around at the small shop with wide eyes, completely out of his depth surrounded by all the weapons. He sees River and Jayne standing in front of a glass display and moves up behind them.

"It's a very beautiful sword." River says longingly. "Double-edged, steel enforced with an ivory handle. It could cut a man in half as easy as you'd slice cheese."

Jayne looks at the sword and then looks at the wistful look on River's face. "You ain't gettin' it." Jayne growls. "Ain't got no need for a sword."

"She knows that." River replies, looking up at him. "But she still thinks it's beautiful."

"I'll admit it's a nice weapon." Jayne agrees. "But we got stuff to get so you'd best say goodbye."

River places a hand against the glass briefly before following Jayne over to the shopkeeper.

Simon listens to his sister; mentally cataloging the looks she gave the sword. He briefly wonders when she started thinking weapons were beautiful, the sword and Jayne's guns, but is interrupted when Kaylee giggles.

"What's so funny, little Kaylee?" Jayne questions, glancing back at her.

"Just thinkin' that if cap'n had her love of swords maybe he wouldn't have got stabbed." Kaylee answers.

"Naw, he'd still find a way." Jayne replies with a grin. "Cap likes all the attention he gets after bein' hurt."

Kaylee and River both giggle.

Jayne smiles at their laughter before turning his attention back to the shopkeeper with a scowl. He argues with the man for a few minutes until the smaller man finally agrees to the price Jayne names. Jayne grabs the ammo they needed, glancing over at River when she says his name.

"Yeah?" Jayne questions.

"We only have 3 grenades left." River replies. "You used most of them to rescue captain daddy."

"Forgot bout that." Jayne admits. "Thanks for remindin' me."

"You are welcome." River replies, smiling up at him.

The shopkeeper bags the ammo quickly, glancing at Jayne with nervous glances. He hands the bags to Jayne who takes them with a growl.

Simon takes the bag Jayne's hands back to him and holds it carefully, unused to holding life ammunition in his hands. Jayne wraps his free arm back over River's shoulder and leads them out of the gun shop. He hears Mal call his name and looks up to see the rest of the crew a few feet away. "Here, little Kaylee." Jayne says, holding his bag out to her. "Give this to Mal and tell him we'll be there in a second."

Kaylee takes the bag and watches in confusion as Jayne leads River away from the crew.

"Where the gorram hell are they goin?" Mal questions, taking the bag from Kaylee.

"Don't know." Kaylee answers. "Just told me to tell you they'd be here in a second."

"Doc, give that to Zoe." Mal orders, noticing the nervous way Simon is holding the bag with a smirk. "Don't know why you look so nervous, ain't like it's gonna explode or nothin'."

"I'm not comfortable holding live ammunition." Simon replies. "I've seen too many people disfigured due to the mishandling of weapons. I don't want to be one."

"That's mighty smart of you." Mal says. "But guess that's natural, you bein' top 3 percent and all."

"Thanks." Simon mutters.

"Ain't that nice." Kaylee comments.

Simon glances over to see River and Jayne walking towards them, both holding ice planets in their hands.

"I forgot she wanted one." Simon says.

"Guess Jayne didn't." Kaylee replies.

"You two bout ready to go?" Mal questions.

"Yeah." Jayne answers. "Here, little Kaylee." He holds the ice planet out to her by the wooden handle.

"Thanks, Jayne." Kaylee replies. She takes the handle and then licks the planet happily. "Strawberry, my favorite."

Jayne nods at her and grabs the bag out of Mal's hand so the captain can pick up the crate in front of him. "We get any post?" Jayne questions.

"Yeah." Mal replies. "Kaylee, you got a letter from home and you got another package, Jayne."

"Maybe it's a nice scarf to go with your hat." Wash comments.

Jayne glares at him.

"She still finds her food to be problematic." River growls, the iced treat bouncing off her nose as she tries to eat it. "She doesn't comprehend how to eat it."

"Easy." Jayne replies, bending forward slightly to take a large bite out of her treat.

"That was inappropriate." River growls.

"Tasted 'propriate enough to me." Jayne replies with a smirk.

"Eating other people's food without permission in not polite." River scolds. "You should have asked me first."

"What was that, little witch?" Mal questions.

"He should have asked her first." River answers.

"Oh." Mal replies.

"You will show her how to eat it correctly?" River questions Jayne.

"Give it here." Jayne orders. She hands the ice planet to him and watches closely as he demonstrates how to eat it.

"She thinks she can do it now." River says after a moment.

Jayne takes a small bite before handing it back. He watches her look of complete concentration with a chuckle.

"She did it!" River laughs happily when she correctly takes a bite out of the planet. She adjusts her grip on the handle before lapping hungrily at the treat.

Jayne watches as her small, pink tongue laps at the ice planet and can barely hold back a groan. He's grateful they're in the front of the group so that nobody notices the effect she's having on his body. They reach Serenity in a few moments and he turns his body towards River a bit when Mal walks around them to unlock the boat. Jayne follows the captain into the boat and walks directly over to the weapon cabinet and starts storing the ammo.

Mal moves next to Jayne and the two men silently load up the closet. He hands Jayne the last of the grenades and watches as the merc sets them on a shelf before shutting the door.

"Jayne, heres your post." Book says, holding the box out to him.

Jayne takes the box and brings it to his face to sniff briefly. "From my ma again." Jayne says.

"Well, are you going to open it?" Wash asks. "Because I have to say, I'm curious as to what she sent you."

Jayne rips the tape off and pulls out the letter on top. He reads the familiar writing, wincing slightly at what his mother has to say. Digging into the box, he pulls out a small, pink pair of knitted slippers.

"Pink?" Mal questions with a smile.

"Aren't those just a bit small for you?" Wash adds, also smiling.

"Ain't for me." Jayne grunts. "They're for crazy girl."

The crew goes silent as they glance between the merc and the genius. River finishes the last of her planet before looking up at them.

"Why's your ma makin' things for a girl she ain't never met before?" Mal questions. "And how'd she know bout her anyways."

"I told her." Jayne replies. "Bout Ariel and all."

"You told your mother bout that?" Mal gasps. 

"I can't lie to my ma, Mal." Jayne says. "She'd know if'n I even tried to hide somethin' from her or if I was lyin' to her. Had to tell her." He walks over to River and hands the slippers to her.

River stares at them and then looks up at Jayne. "You will tell mama Cobb that she thanks her for the gift?" River whispers. "They will keep her feet very warm."

"Yeah, I'll tell her." Jayne replies.

"She thanks you too." River says, reaching up to kiss him lightly. "You take very good care of her."

Jayne's too stunned to reply.

"Kaylee, she wants you to come with her." River says, backing away from the stunned merc.

"Okay." Kaylee replies, trying not to laugh at the look on Jayne's face. She takes the hand River is holding out and the two girls walk out of the mess, the slippers held delicately in River's free hand.

"Jayne, you okay?" Mal questions.

"Huh?" Jayne mutters.

"Just wonderin' if you're okay." Mal replies. "You look a bit shell-shocked."

"Fine Mal." Jayne grunts.

Wash smirks over at the merc. "I'm guessing River doesn't care that you don't 'kiss em on the mouth'."

-

lj-cut text"Post" 


	5. Safe

Title: Safe

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: PG-15

A/N: I'm just going to hit myself over the head with various objects, cause I can't believe I'm doing this to myself. Okay, now you're all probably wondering what I'm talking about. Scorchinghell posted a challenge thing, one being a Rayne take on the episode "Our Mrs. Reynolds" (called it Our Mrs. Cobb). Now, this is a plot thingie I've thought about pretty much since I started shipping Rayne, hell I even wrote a little (never posted it) but never really went that into it. But now it's back and with a vengeance. It wants to be written and I think I'm going to have to obey. And that's why I'm going to hit myself over the head with various objects. I can't write drabbles or even one-shots; it is completely out of my range of abilities. So, if I give in, I'm going to have another WIP. Sigh. I'm going to have to write some though I'm not certain if I'll post it. Hell, I don't know what I'm going to do. Again, where the objects come in handy.

-

River walks silently through the ship, her pretty pink slippers muffling her footsteps. They were made with love and she can feel it warming her through her feet, a mother's love. She thinks her mother loved her but is sometimes unsure. Her mother was hard to read even for a genius. She guarded herself in a completely different way than River does. Mrs. Tam was always perfectly presentable, the perfect wife of a perfect businessman. Every word and every action was perfectly planned out and executed. She wasn't neglectful but also wasn't overly emotional; everything was perfectly balanced.

River guards herself differently. She didn't before but then again, she didn't think it was real. There was no point in distancing herself before because she didn't think it was real. Real, it's a word that sometimes confuses her. She knows what's around her, the crew and Serenity, are real. She knows that she is real. And she knows what she feels is real. But sometimes what everyone else is feeling pushes in on her until she can't tell the difference between what they said and what they feel, which most of the time are two different things. Jayne is the only one who doesn't bother her in this way; he feels what he thinks and thinks what he feels. There are no feelings hidden deep inside him begging to be let out. If he feels it then he expresses it. He is a comfort to her, like a warm blanket cocooning around her. She knows she has a darkness to her that will never fade away or even really lessen. It's as much a part of her as being a doctor is to Simon. Jayne is the same way only he is more in control of his dark side, he doesn't have to fight it. She finds it to be amazingly soothing.

She puts one pink foot on the step leading up into the bridge, tilting it to the side to study it. Such a small part of the body to have so many uses. They lead the way through life, one step at a time. With a twirl and a bit of music, they can turn a body into instrument of dance. And with the right pressure and aim, they can be weapons.

"River, you coming up here or not?" Zoe's voice echoes down.

River puts her foot back down and continues her journey onto the bridge. "Zoe, Hoban." River says politely.

"Whoa, who told you my name?" Wash asks. "Wifey, did you tell her?"

Zoe glances down at her husband and then at River. "No." Zoe answers. "I don't know how she knows."

"She just does." River replies. She cocks her head to the side to study the cuddling couple. Their masses shouldn't combine well but they do. "It's a honorable name; you shouldn't be ashamed by it."

"Thanks." Wash says.

"What're you doing up?" Zoe asks. "It's 3am."

"They've been here." River whispers, looking out at the black, wrapping around her hands over her bare arms. "Hungry and mad. So mad. They're full of rage."

"What?" Wash questions, looking at River with a confused expression.

"Reavers." Zoe says quietly.

Wash spins the chair around so fast that Zoe has to catch herself on the console. He pushes buttons quickly and expertly. "There's nothing out there." Wash concludes a few minutes later.

"Echoes." River explains. "Passed through looking for food and came up empty. They're not here now; they've long since passed. But the echo is still there and it washes over her skin like dirty water."

"When's the last time you slept?" Zoe asks.

River sighs heavily. "It wasn't very long ago." River replies. "Only a few days."

"Gorramit, River, you can't keep doing this." Zoe scolds. "You have any idea how mad Mal and Jayne are gonna be when they find out? And if I recall correctly, didn't Mal ask you yesterday if you slept and didn't you say yes?"

"Yes." River replies. "But he didn't specify when so she technically didn't lie."

"That's going to go over well." Wash comments.

Zoe stands up and walks over to River. "Come on." Zoe orders.

River waves goodbye to Wash and then follows Zoe out of the bridge. The first mate stops at a bunk door and knocks a few times.

The hatch opens after a few minutes to reveal a tired, grumpy looking man.

"What?" Jayne growls. "We bein' attacked?" He glances behind Zoe and sees River standing quietly, her white gown flowing down her body and her feet covered in her pink slippers.

Jayne slips back into his bunk only to come up the ladder a few seconds later, a t-shirt and a loose pair of shorts covering his body.

"You have a nightmare or somethin'?" Jayne questions River. She looks down at her hands, refusing to answer.

"Bit hard for her to have a nightmare when she ain't been sleeping." Zoe answers.

Jayne tenses and reaches down to tilt her face up to his. "You ain't been sleepin' again?" Jayne growls.

River nods.

"Gorramit, you ruttin' told Mal you was." Jayne replies. "Why didn't you say somethin'?"

"She doesn't want to be a burden." River whispers.

Jayne sighs, his thumb unconsciously rubbing her chin. "Come on." Jayne orders. "We'll go down to your room. Night Zoe."

"Night." Zoe says back.

Jayne rests his hand on the small of her back, fascinated by her size. His hand spans the small area and he knows he could span her waist with both hands. She looks so ruttin' small next to him and it makes him feel all protective.

"What are you thinking?" River questions, looking up at him.

"Bout how gorram small you are." Jayne answers, steering her into her room. She lies down on her side next to the wall, leaving him a large space to lie down on.

Jayne kicks his boot off and sets the gun he grabbed on the table next to the bed before lying down next to her. She curls into his side, her head resting on his chest. "Not that delicate." River whispers.

"I know that." Jayne replies. "Still don't change the fact that you're all kinds of small. Makes a man feel protective."

"She doesn't need protected but would appreciate it all the same." River says. "She feels safe with you."

Jayne wraps an arm around her waist and turns over to bury his face in her hair. She puts a leg over his hips, her slippered foot resting on the back of his thighs.

-

River cuddles further into the warmth around her, her mind awakening slowly. She feels safe and warm, her mind drowsy in a way it hasn't been since she was little. Normally when she awakens, it's because there's too much noise floating around. The downfall of being mostly 'sane' is that she can't escape inside of her own mind anymore. She can't hide from the noise, the thoughts, but she can push them out. But there's no noise, only the slight humming of Jayne's thoughts. She opens her eyes to see Jayne propped up by one arm, his other hand tracing down her face.

"Morning." River whispers.

"Mornin'." Jayne rumbles. "Sleep okay?"

"Very well." River answers, rubbing her face against the palm of his hand.

Jayne's fascinated by River's skin against his. She's so pale next to his sun-roughed skin. And he just can't get over how ruttin' small she is compared to him. His hand could cover her face, if'n he wanted to. He feels her face rub against his palm and can't help the tightening in his shorts as her lips rub against him. He slides his hand down her face and cups her chin, tilting her face up to his.

"Jayne?" River questions.

Jayne was prepared to move away without doin' nothin', or at least he was before she said his name. He ain't ever had anybody say his name like she does; all breathless and so full of gorram trust he can almost taste it. Why she trusts him, he don't know but even he isn't dumb enough to screw it up. He was just plannin' on touchin' her face fore he left but then she went and said his name in that special way of hers right before her tongue snaked out to wet her lips. It weren't somethin' she was doin' on purpose and at the sight of her tongue he finally gives in to what he's been wantin' to do for a while.

His hand still cupping her face, his thumb rubbing her chin, he leans down and does somethin' he ain't done in a good, long while. He kisses her on the mouth. Her lips are soft against his, her breath amazing sweet for just havin' woke up. He absorbs the feelin' of kissin' again and it takes a moment before he realizes she went stiff at his action. To realize she ain't kissin' back, in fact she ain't doin' nothin'. He goes to pull back, thinkin' he might have pushed her too hard, when her tongue sneaks slowly out and touches his lips, all shy-like. Then he realizes she went all stiff cause she didn't know what to do, not cause she didn't want to.

"You ever kiss somebody?" Jayne asks, pulling away slightly.

"She's doing it wrong, isn't she?" River whispers. "She's sorry."

"Ain't no call to be sorry." Jayne replies. "Just means I get to teach you how."

"She is a very good student." River says. "She would enjoy having you teach her."

Jayne chuckles before pressing his mouth back against hers. Not wanting to startle her, he gently probes her lips with the tip of his tongue. "Gotta open em, little darlin'." Jayne whispers against her mouth. "Can't teach you if you don't let me in."

Her eyes wide, looking into his, she opens her mouth to allow his tongue in.

Jayne continues to rub at her chin, finding it soothing. His tongue slips into her mouth and he rubs it against hers, smirking against her mouth when she gasps. His tongue plays with hers, coaxing it to play back. She tentatively rubs her tongue against his and then moves it out of her mouth to lick at his lips. With a growl, Jayne sucks her tongue into his mouth and milks it. A mewl passes from her mouth into his as she arches against him.

The kissing goes from a light, first kiss into the mating of two mouths in a matter of seconds. Jayne's hand moves off her chin to cup the back of her head, tilting it to the side so he can deepen the kiss. River's hands scrape at his shoulders, trying to find purchase.

Jayne reaches his hand out to grab River's pillow and puts it over his own before flipping onto his back, pulling River on top of him. She straddles his hips, her chest flush with his as they continue to eat at each other's mouths. He don't know how it happened; how it went from a simple kiss to the groping session they're havin' but he ain't about to argue. His hands slide down her back, his hands kneading at her muscles before he gives in and slides them around to cup her breasts.

River feels completely overwhelmed and stops trying to process and analyze what Jayne is doing and just feels it. His mouth is warm and safe and tastes good against hers. His hands make her feel more than warm, almost hot, like she's going to boil out of her skin. She breaks the kiss, panting heavily, her forehead resting against his. "It's different." River moans, arching into his hands.

Jayne tests the weight of her breasts and finds them to be the perfect size for his hands. "What's different?" He rubs his thumbs over her nipples and groans when she grinds her body down on his.

"You hands feel different." River answers. "Feels better. She likes your hands touching her better than her own."

Jayne groans again, a visual of her playin' with her tits flashin' through his mind. "You play with yourself?" Jayne growls, his hands squeezing her breasts.

"Ohh…yesss…" River hisses, pushing hard against his hands. "You affect her and she has to cure the hunger."

"Hunger?" Jayne growls.

"Blood lust." River moans. She can feel his cock behind her and she tilts her hips up and back, grinding her now aching crotch against his steel-hard cock. "It flows through your veins and she feels it, violence and death and blood. It makes her throb." She grinds down against him again, presses against his hands, and drops her mouth onto his. "You make me ache."

"Jesus." Jayne growls, his hands squeezing her breasts as he bucks up against her. She's like a wild thing on top of him; grinding and pushing against him desperately. A man used to buyin' his time with women, he ain't used to the raw desire practically pouring off her. Sure, he knows what he's doin' between the sheets and always leaves em satisified, but it's still just a job to em. But with River it ain't about nothin' but what she wants and it don't take a genius to see that she wants him.

River's body is on fire and she can feel the familiar tightening, knows it won't take much more to push her over the edge. "Jayne." She whines, knowing he'll understand.

"I know." Jayne growls. She's bout to cum; he can see it in her eyes, the quick little pants she gives, the erratic way she grinds against him. He sits up and grabs her hips, his mouth slamming against hers. Bending his knees, he pulls her tight against him, his cock pushing against her cunt. He uses his hands to rotate her body against his, his mouth swallowing her moans and whimpers.

"Oh my God." Kaylee screeches. "I'm sorry."

Jayne hands stop moving her and he starts to break the kiss when she bites his lower lip and slams her body against his.

Jayne swallows his name as she screams it into his mouth. Her body stiffens and then writhes on top of him while she orgasms, whimpering and moaning against his lips.

River falls forward against Jayne, her body trembling in the aftermaths of her orgasm. She's experienced them before but they were never like this. Normally, it is just small shots of pleasure, enough to clear her mind but never really cure the hunger. But she feels sated now and would like nothing more than to curl up on top of Jayne and never leave.

"You okay?" Jayne questions when River doesn't say anything for a few moments.

"Yes." River answers, looking up at him. "Does it feel better because it was not my own fingers?"

Jayne closes his eyes, his body hardening more, something he didn't think were possible. "You always this honest?" Jayne asks.

"Yes." River answers. She uses her small hands to tilt his face up to hers. "You did not answer the question."

"Course it feels different." Jayne answers. "Always feels different when it ain't your own hands. But better, hell, an orgasm is just the same as the last one, in my experience."

"It was better." River says. "Everything hummed and stars burst. I liked it very much and would like doing it again. Only next time, I would like you to touch my skin."

Jayne groans again and sets her to the side before standing up.

"You're leaving?" River asks quietly.

"Have to." Jayne grunts. "I'm bout a second away from takin' you and I know little Kaylee is still standin' outside."

River sits up on her knees and looks at him intently. "But you are still aroused." River points out.

Jayne laughs. "Yeah, I ain't bout to forget." Jayne replies. "But it's somethin' I can take care of myself."

"I want to help." River says eagerly, her hand reaching out to cup his throbbing cock.

Jayne closes his eyes and allows her to fondle him for a few moments before pulling away. "You're a little hellcat, you know that?" Jayne growls. "And I'm gonna enjoy sexin' you up but not with an audience standin' outside, dong ma?"

"I understand." River replies. "But I don't want to. You might be too big to fit inside of me but I wish to find out for certain."

Jayne closes his eyes again, completely unused to a woman bein' so honest bout what she wants. He pulls her against him for a brief but deep kiss before walking away, his body strung tighter than a bow. In the back of his mind, he registers how she talked bout herself in first person but his arousal keeps him from focusing on it. He grunts at Kaylee when he passes her, intent on reaching his room to get rid of the rock-hard erection he's currently sporting.

-

Kaylee waits until Jayne's bulky form is out of sight before running into River's room and jumping onto her bed with excited squeal. "You and Jayne with the kissin'." Kaylee squeals happily. "And from where I was standin' looked to be a bit more."

"She had an orgasm." River replies, grinning back at Kaylee.

Kaylee mouth drop opens. "But your clothes was still on." Kaylee gasps.

"Yes." River agrees. "Next time she would like them off."

Kaylee giggles. "So it was still good even if he couldn't touch skin?"

"Uh huh." River nods. "It was very wonderful. But she fears Jayne is too big to fit inside of her."

"Aw, don't worry bout that." Kaylee assures her. "Everythin' stretches just fine."

"Does it hurt?" River questions.

"At first." Kaylee answers. "Bit of tearin' and stuff but you adjust."

"You enjoy sex." River comments. "But not for the pleasure but because you enjoy being near someone; feeling their heart beat against yours. You just enjoy people."

"Yeah." Kaylee agrees. "I've always liked people and hearin' their stories and adventures."

"You're seeking love." River says. She tilts her head and studies Kaylee for a moment. "But you can stop looking; you've already found it."

"Oh, River, I ain't, I never said I was in love with Simon." Kaylee stutters.

"You don't have to." River replies. "It shows on your skin."

Kaylee looks down at her hands. "You ain't gonna tell him, right?" Kaylee whispers. "I don't want him to feel all pressured."

"She won't tell." River assures her. "But you should tell him. He feels the same way."

Kaylee looks up at River, her eyes hopeful. "How do you know that?"

River just arches an eyebrow.

"Oh." Kaylee mutters, a smile floating across her face. "Life is shiny, ain't it? I got Simon and you got Jayne, Zoe gots Wash. Now all we gotta do is help the Nara get the cap'n."

"We could lock them in a closet together." River suggests with a smile.

Kaylee giggles again. "Cap'n would kick both our asses if'n we do that." Kaylee says.

"She would stop him." River assures Kaylee and then gives in and starts giggling with the mechanic. Within a few seconds, both girls are sprawled across River's bed, their bodies raked with giggles. River grabs a pillow and hits Kaylee softly over the head with it.

"Wanna have a pillow fight, do you?" Kaylee says, reaching behind River to grab the other pillow. She hits River back and then laughs when River hits her in the belly with her pillow. The pillow fight heats up, both girls hitting each other when ever they can.

"What the gorram hell is goin' on?" Mal bellows from the doorway.

Two pillows hit him in the face.

Kaylee looks at the pissed off look on the captain's face and then glances over at River. The genius glances back and both girls start giggling.

"Little Kaylee, don't you got a job to do?" Mal growls. "Thought we done talked bout play time interferin' with work time."

"I was just seein' if River wanted to help me." Kaylee replies. "Then we got to talkin' and I lost track of time."

"Talkin' bout what?" Mal questions. "You know what? Never mind. Most likely it's bout Jayne or Simon and I really don't wanna know. Just get to work. That engine ain't gonna tune itself." He leaves without another word and misses the two tongues that stick out at his back.

"Well, come on, lazy bones." Kaylee says, smacking River on the leg. "That engine ain't gonna tune itself."

River takes her slippers off and places them gently on the nightstand, right next to the gun that Jayne left in her room. Her hand floats over the gun and she jerks it back before it touches the cold metal. She grabs some clean panties and a dress and runs into the bathroom to change. After relieving herself, she gets changed and brushes her teeth. Then using a pair of decorative chopsticks that Inara gave her, she puts her hair up.

"You gotta put your boots on." Kaylee says. "Engine room ain't the safest place to run around without shoes on."

River looks around her room trying to locate the erstwhile boots. She hasn't worn them since their visit to the postal station a few days ago.

"Think I see em under the bed." Kaylee says.

River bends over and pokes her head under her bed. One hand reaches in and grabs the boots. "She doesn't like boots." River complains, plopping down on the bed to pull the boots on. "She likes her slippers better but doesn't want them to get dirty."

"Yeah, I don't like shoes either." Kaylee agrees. "Guess it's the price you pay to live on a ship."

Kaylee grabs River's hand and drags her down to the engine room.

"You don't have to help, if you don't want to." Kaylee says as she starts digging through a toolbox. "I just wanted the company."

"She would like to help." River replies. "She wants to understand why you love the engine so much."

"Shiny." Kaylee says happily. "Let's get to work."

-

"And Jayne'll take out anybody who gets any harmful thoughts on us." Mal finishes. "Don't right know these folks so we best be ready for anything."

"Where's the part where somebody gets shot and I have to perform an emergency surgery while Wash is trying to out run whatever ship is trying to catch us?" Simon questions, taking a sip of tea.

"That ain't part of the plan." Mal glares.

"Hmm." Simon replies. "It probably should be since we all know it is the only thing that will happen as planned."

"I beginning to wonder if'n you ain't been on this ship too long." Mal says. "Seems to me we're rubbin' off and ruinin' that 'coreness' of yours."

"He's got a point." Wash comments. "Most likely, somebody will end up shot…"

"Most likely Mal." Simon cuts in.

"Most likely." Wash agrees. "Then you will all have to run back to the ship right about the time that either some feds or some reavers turn up. I'll end up flying us to safety while Simon fixes Mal."

Mal glares at Wash.

"Why are you glaring at me?" Wash asks. "It's your plan."

"Husband, don't mock the captain." Zoe scolds. "He doesn't always get shot."

"Sometimes he gets stabbed." Inara adds.

"Ain't you guys just the funniest gorram group." Mal says sarcastically. "And I'll have you know I ain't the only one gettin' shot."

"Just seems to happen to you a lot." "Book comments. "Must be your shiny and open personality."

"What is this, pick on your captain day?" Mal growls.

"We're pickin' on the cap?" Jayne asks as he walks into the mess. He pours a cup of coffee and piles some of the scrambled egg mixture onto a plate.

"Not if we don't wanna be cleaning out the bay." Mal replies. "Been a good long while since it's been scrubbed down."

Simon goes back to his tea and Wash finishes his breakfast.

"You still got it." Zoe comments to Mal.

"Yep." Mal agrees. "Nothin' like havin' to clean to make men behave."

"River, I'm so sorry." Kaylee's voice echoes into the mess a few minutes later. "This is all my fault."

"It's not your fault." River says back.

"Yeah it is." Kaylee replies. "Where's Simon?"

"Mess." River answers.

"What's goin' on?" Jayne mutters.

"Simon, you in here?" Kaylee says as she runs into the mess. "There you are. You gotta get to the infirmary."

"Why?" Simon asks.

"River." Kaylee answers.

"What happened?" Jayne growls, standing up.

River comes into the room, stumbling down the steps a little on her way. "She's bleeding." River whispers. She takes her hands off her stomach and holds them out, her palms stained red with her blood.

"Wo de tien ah." Wash mutters.

"What the gorram hell happened?" Jayne yells.

"I need to get her to the infirmary." Simon says.

Jayne picks River up, being careful not to jostle her wound, and carries her out of the mess.

"She could walk." River whispers. Jayne glares down at her.

"I wanna know what happened?" Mal growls.

"Belt slipped off." Kaylee answers. "River jumped back but it still nipped her in the stomach."

"This somethin' we need to keep the boat runnin?" Mal asks.

"Yeah." Kaylee answers. "We're gonna have to shut her down till I can get the belt back on. And I'm gonna need help gettin' it on."

"Wash, go turn her off." Mal orders. "Book, you help Kaylee get the belt back on."

"What bout River?" Kaylee whispers.

"Doc'll see to her." Mal assures her. "You just go little Kaylee."

Kaylee looks back at Mal with wide, worried eyes before following Book away from the infirmary.

Mal glances at Zoe and the two walk into the infirmary where River is lying on the bed, Simon on one side and Jayne on the other. "How bad is it, doc?"

"Not that bad." Simon declares. "It's going to need some weaves." He turns back to the counter and grabs a needle, intent on sedating his sister.

"No." River says, flinching back from the needle. "She doesn't want drugs."

"Mei-mei." Simon says calmly.

"No." River restates. "She doesn't want them."

"It's going to hurt." Simon tells her.

"She can handle pain." River replies. "Just do it." She reaches out and grabs Jayne's hand, squeezing it tightly in hers.

Simon sighs but puts the needle down. He cuts away the fabric covering her stomach and uses a cloth to gently clean the blood from her skin. She whimpers when he puts the first weave in, tears running down her face.

"Numb it." Jayne orders.

"Jayne." River whispers.

"Just a pain reliever." Jayne replies. "Somethin' that'll stop ya from feelin' it."

"But she doesn't want to go to sleep." River whispers.

"I won't let him knock you out." Jayne assures her. "Just keep you from feelin' some of the pain."

River sees the determined look in Jayne's eyes and knows he's not going to give up until she agrees. She turns and looks at her brother. "Just for pain." River orders. "No sedatives and no smoothers."

Simon turns around, digs through his medicine, and then turns back to his sister with a needle in his hand. He injects her in the stomach, near the cut, before disposing the needle. He then returns to putting the weaves in, his movements precise and quick.

Jayne grits his teeth as he watches the doc sew up River. The cut is bout as long as his hand though it ain't that deep. There won't be a scar. Usually blood don't bother him in the least, fact he don't mind makin' a man bleed, but the memory of her holdin' her hands up, all covered in blood, makes his stomach hurt.

Simon finishes putting the weaves in his sister and once he finishes, he starts to clean his equipment, his hands completely steady despite how hard his heart is pounding. He turns back around to find two men looking at him anxiously; one with a father's worry and the other with what can only be described as a lover's worry. "She's going to be fine." Simon assures them. "She'll heal in a week or so. I just need to wrap her wound and she can go."

"Zoe and Nara can get that." Mal says. "I need you to go assure my mechanic that she's gonna be fine and that it ain't her fault. Cause as well as I know Kaylee, I know she's blamin' herself and thinkin' River's on her deathbed."

"It wasn't Kaylee's fault." River says. "It just happened."

"I know that." Mal replies. "But makin' Kaylee see that is gonna be a whole nother issue."

"Are you sure you don't want something stronger?" Simon questions.

"Yes." River replies. "Go tell Kaylee it wasn't her fault. You will have to comfort her; she enjoys it when you kiss her."

"Mei-mei." Simon screeches.

"It's the truth." River replies. "She doesn't lie."

"Brat." Simon mutters, bending down to kiss her forehead. He checks her wound one last time before leaving the infirmary.

Inara and Zoe move in silence, Zoe taking the bandages from Inara and then covering River's wound.

"Alright, little witch." Mal says, leaning against the counter. "While we're on the subject of lyin', why don't we talk bout that whopper you told me?"

"She didn't lie." River replies as she sits up.

"The gorram hell you didn't." Mal argues. "I recall askin' you point blank if'n you slept and I recall you sayin' yes. If that ain't a lie, I don't know what is."

"She didn't lie." River repeats. "You have had sex, correct?"

"What?" Mal bellows. "What the gorram hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer." River replies.

"Yeah." Mal replies.

"So, just because you said yes, can one assume you mean you had sexual intercourse last night?" River says.

"No, course I didn't." Mal replies, completely confused.

"But you said yes." River points out. "If she can't assume you meant last night why can you? You didn't specify a time frame so why should she?"

Mal glares at her.

"Wash was right." River mutters.

"Right about what?" Wash questions as he walks into the infirmary.

"Her sleeping explanation didn't go over well." River replies. "Just like Zoe was right about captain daddy and Jayne being mad that she didn't say anything."

"Zoe usually is right." Mal agrees. "Next time you can't sleep, I want you tellin' me or Jayne, dong ma? And not a few days later but that same night. I may not be a doctor but even I know a person needs to sleep every night."

"Very well." River agrees. She hops off the bed and walks over to the sink to rinse the blood off her hands. She stares at the water, mesmerized by how it blends with her hands to run pink down the sink.

"Whatcha starin' at?" Jayne asks, moving up behind her.

River tilts her head back to look at him, unconsciously leaning back against his body. Jayne in turn, grips her hips in his hands as he looks down over her shoulder.

"It's pink." River replies. "It's blue inside, comes out red, and washes down pink."

"Its just blood." Jayne says.

"I know." River agrees quietly. "Like it better on the inside than the outside. Doesn't seem right; like I'll just fade away."

"You ain't goin' nowhere but your room to clean up." Jayne growls. "Then, if'n you want, we can watch somethin' on the cortex."

"Okay." River agrees. She reaches down and grabs his hand. "You will come too. You left Susie behind."

"A'right." Jayne agrees, letting her pull him out of the room.

"Is it just me or did they seem comfortable with each other on a level they didn't a few days ago?" Wash questions.

"Not just you." Mal replies. Now, he knew what River was wantin' to do with the merc but knowin' and seein' are two very different things.

"They haven't had sex yet." Inara comments. "Although they have had physical contact."

"How do you know that?" Mal asks.

"Body language." Inara answers. "While River was completely comfortable leaning back against him, he was careful to keep her from touching him intimately. That suggests that she's comfortable with him touching her body but he's not completely comfortable with her feeling his. Most likely, he's afraid he won't be able to control his urges."

"I thought she doesn't want him to." Wash comments.

"I know." Inara says with a small smile. "And that's what proves his feelings for her aren't completely sexual. If he just wanted to get 'trim' he wouldn't care about control. No, he wants her for more than sex."

"And the way he reacted to her being in pain just proves it all the more." Zoe adds.

"Huh?" Mal grunts, confused by why he isn't able to see what they do unless they point it out.

"Didn't you see the look on his face?" Zoe questions. "The way he insisted Simon numb her? He didn't like seeing her in pain and was willing to make her let Simon dope her."

"Luckily, he was able to talk her into it." Inara finishes. "But if he hadn't been able to, I think he would have forced Simon to give it to her."

"Yep." Zoe agrees. "He's starting to care more about her than I guessing he's ever cared about a woman. Should be interesting."

"No." Wash says. "Should be violent. Cause we all know how Jayne can be and the first time she's in danger or the first time some dumbass hits on her…"

"We're gonna see that darkness River's so fond of." Mal finishes. "And I got the feelin' we ain't gonna enjoy it the way she does."

-


	6. Want

Title: Want

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: R

FYI: Last time; River wasn't sleeping again, Zoe found out and told Jayne, he went back to her room, they slept. When they woke up, Jayne kissed her and then they groped. Kaylee walked in, Jayne went to his bunk, Kaylee and River talked bout sex then went to tune the engine. Belt flew off and cut River's stomach. Simon patched her up, Jayne got all worried then suggested they watch something off the cortex.

-

"What're we gonna watch?" Kaylee asks. She watches as Jayne and Wash set up the cortex adapter so that they can watch somethin' on the projection screen that pulls down from the ceiling in the common room off the infirmary.

"Hold it still." Wash orders Jayne.

"I ruttin' am." Jayne replies. "Couldn't ya work a bit faster?"

"It's a little hard when I can't see anything." Wash responds, his head inside the wall, trying to connect the adapter into the cortex feed so they can play something.

"Nobody answered me." Kaylee says. "What're we gonna watch?"

"I'm sure there are some documentaries that we can download off the cortex." Simon comments.

"You gonna be able to hear over the rest of us snorin'?" Jayne asks.

"There's a couple of soaps on bout this time." Kaylee says. "Maybe we can watch one of em."

"That's just as bad as what the doc suggested." Jayne replies, his arms straining from the weight of trying to hold the sliding wall panel up and the end of the large cord.

"What the gorram hell is goin' on here?" Mal bellows as he walks into the common room.

"We're gonna watch somethin', cap'n." Kaylee answers. "Just don't know what."

"Finally." Wash mutters. He slides his head out of the wall and sits up. "You can put it down now Jayne."

Jayne drops the paneling and the cord with a grunt. "No wonder we don't do this. Takes too gorram long."

"What the hell are you gonna watch anyways?" Mal questions. "We're too gorram far into the black to get much besides the news, soaps or educational go-se."

"And I doubt you'll wanna watch that." Zoe adds.

Wash connects the cord to the plug on the back of the screen before grabbing the hand-held cortex screen. "News. Entertainment news." Wash mutters as he flips through screens. "Sports. Health news. Yep, not a gorram thing on."

River grabs the screen out of his hand and her fingers zoom over the buttons. She hands it back to Wash after a few minutes. "It must download first." River says. "It will take a few minutes. Come on Kaylee. Provisions are needed."

"Provisions?" Mal repeats. "We ain't goin' to war."

River ignores Mal and drags Kaylee down the hall.

"How'd she find this?" Wash mutters, looking down at the screen.

"Find what?" Mal asks.

"Some new movie." Wash replies. "I wanted to take wifey to see it but alas, she didn't want to go. River found a copy of it but it must be an illegal copy."

"Not surprising." Simon comments. "There really isn't anything she can't find on the cortex."

"What kind of movie is it?" Book asks as he takes a seat on the couch.

"Some romantic war movie." Wash answers.

"We're watchin' a girly movie?" Jayne groans.

"It has guns." Wash assures him. "And people dying."

"That's okay then." Jayne replies as he starts moving the furniture around so that the screen is viewable from every seat. That done, he plops down in a large chair and kicks his feet up on the table.

"Sure you don't need help?" Kaylee asks as she follows River down the hall. "Don't think it's good for you to be carryin' all that stuff with your tummy torn up."

"She can carry it." River assures her, her arms holding a few blankets, a few bags of protein snaps, and a couple bottles of water.

Kaylee follows behind with some pillows, glasses, and bowls. She sets it all on the table and grabs the water and protein snaps off the blankets River is carrying. She fills 5 bowls with protein snaps and hands them out to all the men around.

River pours the water into the glasses and hands them out before taking her own and moving over to the chair Jayne is sitting on. She plops down onto his lap and grabs one of the blankets she brought down with her. Wiggling around, she finally settles down sitting across Jayne's lap with her feet on the armrests and the bowl of snaps on her lap.

"You okay?" Jayne questions. "Your tummy ain't hurtin' you none, is it?"

"I am quite comfortable." River replies as she leans her head against his chest and pops a few snaps into her mouth.

Mal and Simon look at River then Jayne and finally at each other.

"Well, come'n cap'n, you gotta watch with us." Kaylee says pushing him down onto the couch. She then grabs Inara's hand and pushes her down next to Mal. "You two can share the snaps. I'm gonna share with Simon. Wash, play whatever it is we're watchin'."

Wash plays the movie before joining his wife on the couch beside the captain and the companion. Kaylee, Simon, and Book take the smaller couch as the movie starts.

The movie starts and is very violent at the beginning, but being a war movie, it isn't unexpected. Kaylee flinches and leans into Simon.

"That's inaccurate." River points out.

"What was that?" Mal questions grimacing when a man's head gets blown off.

"He didn't reload." River replies. "That particular weapon only holds 8 rounds at a time. He shot 12 times."

"Good eyes darlin'." Jayne says, patting her leg over the blanket.

"And the other one wouldn't have died so quickly." River adds.

"She is right about that." Simon agrees. "It would have taken a few more minutes and he would have started to..."

"Doc, we don't need the details." Mal cuts in. "Sides, most of us knew that."

"Can we just watch?" Kaylee says as the fighting stops and the next scene shows one of the solders arguing with a nurse.

Halfway into the movie, River wiggles around again, puts the snaps on the floor, and then takes the blanket off before putting it back on, this time covering most of Jayne too.

Jayne's hands rest on River's legs under the blanket and he knows he should move em but instead continues to rub them through her skirt. She moves one leg off the armrest and moves it to rest over his legs. Jayne swallows heavily at her open position, his hands still rubbing at her legs. He feels her arm moving under the blanket and when her hand touches his, he starts to pull back thinking that's what she wants. He's a bit shocked when instead of pushing his hand away, she moves it under her skirt to rest on her bare knee.

His body hardens further at the feel of her bare, soft skin under his hand. He massages her knee for a few moments before slidin' his hand up her thigh. Her skin is softer than anything he's ever felt b'fore. He moves slowly, waiting for her to make some form of protest. She doesn't. When he finally makes it to the apex of her thighs, he lets out a groan when his hand encounters nothin' but her heat.

"Jayne, are you okay?" Book asks.

"Fine." Jayne grunts. "Just swallowed wrong."

Mal glances over at Jayne and River but when he doesn't see anything, he looks back at the screen.

Jayne knows he's gotta stop; they ain't alone and it really ain't the time for this. But he needs to touch her once beforehand. He slips one finger between her folds and closes his eyes at the wetness that's practically pourin' out of her. Against what he knows he oughta be doin', he slips his finger inside of her wet core. He pulls it out just as quickly, knowin' they can't do this cause any second now, someone's gonna glance over and know what they're doin'. Hell, the gorram lights are still on. She pushes her hips against his hand, seeking contact and he wants nothin' more than to give it to her.

Kaylee glances over at River and Jayne and is barely able to contain her squeal. She jumps up quickly and flips the light off before grabbing the cortex screen and turning the volume up.

"What the hell?" Mal mutters.

"There was a glare on the screen." Kaylee explains. "And I couldn't hear what she was sayin'."

"Oh." Mal mutters.

Jayne's still tryin' to focus on the lights bein' out when he feels River's hand touch his again, pushin' it against her core. He slips a finger back inside of her and uses his thumb to rub gently at her nubbin. He can't do what he knows they both want, push his fingers deep and hard inside of her. With how wet she is, every gorram one would know what he was doin' after a few thrusts. But as long as he don't move too fast and hard, he can play with her a bit. He moves his free hand up her body, avoidin' her tummy wound, to cup a breast.

River leans heavily against Jayne's chest, biting down on her lip to keep from moaning. His finger feels wonderful inside of her but the speed and shallowness of his thrusts is almost torture. She knows he can't be hard and fast, the slurping sound wouldn't be heard for anything but what it is, but she doesn't think she's going to be able to hold back her whimpers. When his hand cups her breast, she closes her eyes on a shudder.

Jayne tugs on her hardened nipple as his finger pushes slowly inside of her, his thumb rubbin' her clit firmly. Her body shudders on top of him and he has to wonder how she's holdin' back her moans and whimpers. He knows she's bout to cum and he just hopes she don't scream. His finger stops movin' when he feels her little hand reach down and cup him. She massages him for a few seconds before unsnapping his pants and reachin' inside to grasps his hard cock in her soft palm. Her thumb rubs over his tip before trailing down his staff to gently cup his balls. She massages them for a minute and his head drops back to rest on the back of the chair. He forces himself to start pumpin' his finger again, not wanting to get off before her. She moves back up his staff and starts to jerk him off with quick but quiet motions. Her hands stops for a second to gather the pre-cum off his tip before resuming her maddening actions.

River likes the feel of his cock under her hand. It's hard and hot and silky smooth. She still doesn't think he's going to fit inside of her; she's much too small, but as she said before, she still wants to be certain. She knows they must be quiet and still or someone will know what they are doing. But she doesn't want to. Her whimpers are building up in her throat and with nowhere to go, she has to swallow them. She wants to buck against his hand, push his finger deeper but instead opens her legs further to allow him more access.

Jayne feels her legs spread and adds a second finger to her wet heat. He pushes them in as far as he can and rests them there as his thumb still rides her clit. She's soppin' wet at this point and it's coating his hand. Her warm, little hand still pumps him and how nobody's noticed, he don't know. In the back of his mind he registers the loud gunfire echoing around the room but it takes second place to his heavy breathing and River's pantin'. He wants to kiss her, feel her tongue in his mouth, but doesn't. Somebody would notice that. Her hand starts pumpin' faster, her grip firmer and his balls start to tighten. Wanting her to go before him, he gives his fingers a good twist, pushes down hard with his thumb, and pinches a nipple ruthlessly.

River's breathing starts come in pants when he adds a second finger, stretching her further than she ever has been. She knows the only reason two of his big fingers will fit inside of her is because of the many times she's had three of her own fingers inside. She wants to bite his tongue and lips and feel him bite hers but knows they can't. Somebody will notice and they will have to stop and she doesn't want to stop; she can't stop. She feels her orgasm coming; her belly and legs quivering while her walls start to flutter. She feels a scream building up and knows she won't be able to swallow it. Turning her face into his chest, she does the only thing she can to smother the scream. She bites down, hard. She can't help her hips small spasm as the pleasure flows through her body; mindless, breath stealing pleasure.

Jayne feels River's walls start to flutter and then is blinded by dark, painful pleasure when her teeth clamp onto his chest and her hand vices around his cock. Her walls squeeze tightly around his fingers, pullin' 'em deeper inside. He bites down on his lip to keep from groanin' as he squirts hotly over her hand. His eyes closed and head leanin' against the back of the chair, he tries to control his breathing enough so's that no one will hear.

River leans her head against Jayne's chest as she breaths erratically. His fingers are still inside her and her hand is still wrapped around his flaccid cock, his cum cooling on her hand. Once her breathing is back to normal, she reluctantly tucks him back into his pants, buttons them up, and then wipes her hand off on the blanket.

Jayne coughs loudly and pulls his fingers out at the same time. He follows River's lead and wipes his fingers off on the blanket. Placing his hand back on her thigh, he gives it a gentle squeeze before pullin' her closer to his body and restin' his chin on the top of her head.

River leans into Jayne's chest with a contented sigh and glances up at the screen just in time for the credits to start rolling. She sees Wash walking over to turn on the light and looks over at Kaylee to see the mechanic sniffling happily.

"That was so sweet." Kaylee gushes as she wipes away tears.

Simon smiles at her, his hand moving down to hold hers.

"You're a softie." Mal says, rolling his eyes.

"Don't even try that cap'n." Kaylee replies. "I saw the smile on your face right after the light came on. You too Zoe."

"Just glad it was finally over." Mal defends.

"Nara like it." Kaylee says. "So did Wash and Simon and Book, right?"

"It was a little gruesome at times but I still enjoyed it." Book replies.

Inara and Simon nod their agreement.

"Mei-mei, did you like it?" Simon asks, looking over at his sister.

River's widen as she glances up at Jayne and then back at her brother. "It was nice."

Simon stares at his sister, confused by her answer. Normally after they watch a movie, she dissects every part from the special effects to the plot line to the acting. Not because she doesn't like it, but because she likes taking them apart to see how they fit together in the first place.

"Somehow I expected a longer answer than that." Wash comments.

"Me too." Mal says.

Kaylee gives Simon a light peck on the lips before jumping up and walking over to River. "We're gonna go hang out." Kaylee says. "Come on River, let's go."

River smiles up at Jayne and then stands up, taking the blanket with her. "Bye."

Jayne reaches an arm out and grabs her wrist. "Stay away from the engine." Jayne orders.

River rolls her eyes.

With a growl, Jayne pulls her back down onto his lap. "I ain't jokin'." Jayne growls. "You hadn't jumped away that belt woulda cut you in half."

"But it didn't." River replies. She grabs his hand and places it on her belly. "See, still one piece."

"We ain't goin' to the engine room." Kaylee assures him. "And what happened was a freak accident. In the three years I've been on this boat, a belt's never slipped off."

"I'll be perfectly fine." River assures him. She reaches up and bites his lip before jumping off his lap to follow Kaylee out of the room.

"So, Jayne, did you like the movie?" Mal asks once the girls are gone.

"Sure." Jayne mutters.

"What was your favorite part?" Mal questions.

"Oh, hell Mal." Jayne mutters. "I don't ruttin' know. I didn't see nothin' past the first 30 minutes."

"I knew it." Mal replies.

"Knew what?" Simon questions confusedly. "Did you fall asleep?"

"Gorramit Jayne." Mal yells. "There's a ruttin' time and place for that and sittin' two feet away from me ain't it."

"You were….with River….me.." Simon stutters.

"She started it." Jayne says defensively.

"And you couldn't of….." Mal starts.

"What, jumped up and said we were gonna go mess around?" Jayne cuts in.

"I'd rather ya have done that what ya did." Mal replies. "I know her…intentions and all but I'd rather not have to witness them."

"Intentions?" Simon questions. "What intentions?"

"Your little sister's intentions towards Jayne here." Mal replies.

"And they are?" Simon prods.

"She plans on what was it again?" Wash answers. "Oh yeah, mating with him."

Simon closes his eyes on a groan.

"You okay doc?" Jayne mutters, a little bit worried bout how Simon was gonna handle this. He knows he can take the doc in a second but he does got all those drugs and needles handy.

"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that." Simon replies.

"Denial will only work for so long doc." Zoe comments with a smile.

"You have your way of dealing and I have mine." Simon replies. "And right now I need to focus on something else. Has anybody else noticed River say 'I' lately?"

"Yeah." Mal says. "When we was leavin' the postal station, right after you left to talk to Kaylee, and just a few minutes ago."

"But Jayne was always near her then." Book comments. "Has anybody heard her do it besides that?"

Everyone shakes their heads then look towards Jayne, the only one who didn't respond.

"Jayne?" Mal questions. "She do it when we ain't round?"

"Yeah." Jayne answers. "Couple times this mornin' after we woke up."

"So you were talkin'?" Mal supplies.

"Not really." Jayne replies. "We did some things and after she stopped usin' 'she' and 'her'."

"What did she say?" Simon asks, wanting to run into the infirmary to get her file.

"Don't think you really want me to answer that." Jayne says with a smirk, rememberin' what she said.

"If it will help me understand her progress, then yes, I would like to know." Simon replies.

"Fine." Jayne says. "First, she said 'you make me ache', last thing she said was 'I want to help' and you ain't hearin' what she said between."

"Don't think I wanna know." Mal mutters.

"Were you touching her then?" Simon questions, looking around for something to write on.

"Yeah." Jayne answers. "And that's all I'm sayin'. What we do is between us and I ain't talkin' bout it more than I already have."

"And I don't wanna hear more." Mal agrees. "It's bout dinner time anyways. Simon and Book, you start on that while Wash and Jayne clean up their mess. Me and Zoe got captain-y things to do."

"We do?" Zoe replies, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Mal says. "So, get to work."

Book and Simon walk towards the mess with Inara trailing them while Jayne and Wash start putting the common room back in order. Zoe follows Mal, still confused by what they had to do.

"Sir?" Zoe says once they're on the bridge. "What do we have to do?"

"Nothin'." Mal answers with a smirk. He plops down on the pilot chair and looks up at her. "Just didn't feel like helpin'."

-

Kaylee plops down on River's bed, pulling River with her. "What were you two doin'?" Kaylee questions with a grin.

"Playing." River answers. "And groping."

"Groping?" Kaylee gasps. "You're so lucky. I wish I was gropin' someone."

"Simon." River supplies.

"It'd be nice." Kaylee agrees. "But we've only kissed a couple times since you locked us in that closet."

"You should ask Simon to take you out somewhere when we are planet side." River suggests. "Simon must court you before he moves the relationship any further."

"Think so?" Kaylee questions.

River nods.

"Was it nice?" Kaylee asks. "The gropin'?"

"Yes." River answers with a smile. "Jayne's hands feel nice but now she knows how large he is and she was right to fear he won't fit."

"That big?" Kaylee replies.

River holds her hands up to show Kaylee.

"I always wondered how big he'd be." Kaylee says with large eyes. "Jayne's got experience and I'm pretty sure he can make sure it don't hurt too gorram much."

They continue to talk for the next few minutes before leaving the room to go to dinner.

"You didn't burn anything." River says to Simon in shock.

"I am quite capable of learning to cook." Simon replies.

"Sure you are." Kaylee agrees, moving over to pat him on the back.

Dinner is a quiet affair, the day's activities finally catching up them. River and Kaylee do the dishes while the rest of the crew talk aimlessly at the table. Book and Inara are the first to turn in followed closely by Wash and Zoe.

"Come on, darlin', let's go to bed." Jayne says.

River looks up at Jayne. "You're sleeping with her?"

"Sure am." Jayne replies. "Know if you can't sleep, you still ain't gonna say nothin'."

River says goodnight to Kaylee, kisses both Mal and Simon on the cheek, and follows Jayne out of the mess.

"Don't think I like you kissin' on the captain." Jayne says as he ushers her into her room. He shuts her door and turns around just in time to see her dress hit the floor. "Ta ma duh." Jayne mutters, his eyes running over her bare back and the indents right above her ass cheeks, down over her ass cheeks, along her shapely legs, and down to her bare feet. She ain't as curvy as most of the women he sexes but just the sight of her body gets him harder than a rock. She grabs a nightgown and slips it over her head before settling down on her bed against the wall. Jayne kicks his boots off, drops his pants, and crawls onto the bed beside her.

River snuggles against his chest with a yawn. "You are aroused."

"I know." Jayne replies and kisses her forehead. "But you're exhausted. Just go to sleep."

River yawns again and throws a leg over his hip.

Jayne tightens his arm around her waist and buries his face in her hair, trying to ignore his arousal.

-

Jayne feels River tracing over his face again only this time instead of her fingers, it's her mouth.

"Whatcha doin', tidbit?" Jayne murmurs.

"Tasting you." River answers, her tongue moving out to lick his cheek. "You taste very good."

"Bet you do too." Jayne replies. "And I aim to find out."

He moves his hands down to grasp her hips and starts to drag her up his body.

"What?" River questions.

"Said I wanna taste you." Jayne replies, moving her to settle above his face, her knees on either side of his head. "Meant it."

Jayne pushes her nightgown up her legs and above her waist. He uses a finger to test her wetness and then pushes it deep inside her. She pushes down against his hand eagerly. "Need ya to squat down, baby." Jayne growls.

River nods and moves her knees out until her dripping folds are right above his face.

Jayne closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, wanting her scent imprinted deep inside of him. He opens his eyes with the full intent of hearin' her scream again. He blows hotly on her wet folds and chuckles when she jumps.

"Jayynee." River moans.

Giving into what they both want, he runs his tongue between her folds. She taste better than anythin' he can remember and with on taste, he knows he's addicted. He laps at her for a few seconds before pushing his tongue deep inside her.

River bites her lip as the pleasure shoots through her body.

River's not makin' a sound and Jayne starts to wonder if maybe he's movin' too fast for her. He pulls his tongue out and leans back to look up at her face. "Hey now, none of that." Jayne says, moving a finger to slip between her lips. "I wanna hear ya, dong ma? I wanna hear what I do to you."

River sucks on his finger while at the same time bucks her hips towards his face.

Jayne returns to his earlier mission; makin' River scream. He runs his tongue between her folds, lapping at the wetness that drips out of her and down his face. He shoves his tongue inside of her again, thrusting it in and out repeatedly until his entire face is soaked and she's writhing above him wildly.

"Ohh…more….can't quantify…Jayynee." Words spill out of River's mouth and she has no control over them. Her thighs are tense from the strain of holding her aroused body up. She can feel the wetness pouring out of her as his tongue moves in and out and in and out and in and out. Until she can't focus on anything but the throbbing bundle of nerves begging for attention; a bundle Jayne has neglected. "Please, oh, please Jayne. I..it burns…."

Jayne groans at her begging and gives in to her demands. He flicks her clit with his tongue a few times before drawling it into his mouth and sucking harshly. Jayne smirks when his mission is fulfilled and he gets to hear her scream. He greedily laps up her release, his hands gripping her hips to hold her still.

River feels herself explode and has to let the scream escape. She thinks it's Jayne's name but she's not sure and honestly doesn't care. Her whole body is flooded with pleasure, more than she's ever felt before. She feels Jayne gently lift her and place her beside him on the bed. Once she feels reassembled, she sits up and tugs on Jayne's arm to get him to do the same. She pushes on his chest, urging him against the wall. Once he does, she crawls onto his lap and slams her mouth onto his, moaning when his teeth nip hers. She feels Jayne running his hands up her sides and reaches down to grab the bottom of her nightgown, pulling it over her head. Then her hands dig under his t-shirt and Jayne stops long enough to pull it off. His hands resume their mission, running up her sides to cup her breasts.

Jayne cups River's breasts, loving the feel of them in his hands. His thumbs rub her nipples and he smiles when she whimpers. He loves the sounds she makes, the sounds she can't hold back. Loves that it's his hands and mouth and tongue makin' her mindless. He feels her fingers slip into the waistband of his boxers and he automatically lifts his hips so she can push them off. When he feels the cold air hit is cock, he finally realizes how for they've gone. They're both naked as the day they were born. He knows they oughta be stoppin', that they might just be movin' a bit too fast when his cock is surrounded by her wetness as she pushes down, bringing him between her folds.

River braces her hands on his thighs behind her and rocks herself against his cock, moaning loudly as it slides between her folds to brush her clit.

Jayne groans loudly at the feel of her folds around his cock, at the warm wetness of her body. He wants nothin' more than to push deep inside her body but instead just starts moving with her. She moans every time his tip hits her clit and then whimpers as his staff rubs against it. Her hair tickles his calves as she leans back further and further until she's lying on his legs, her hips still thrusting against his. He knows he's bout to cum, can feel it building up. Reaching forward, he searches for a breast and then pinches the nipple he finds. His other hand reaches down between them to slip two fingers inside of her. It ain't easy and he fumbles for a second before finding a rhythm that works, but manages to finger her while at the same time push his cock between her folds.

River's body is on overload and she can't focus on one thing. His fingers pinching her nipple, his fingers pushing inside of her, and his cock sliding between her folds; she gives up trying to figure out what pleasure comes from what action and just feels. Jayne's tip pushes past her clit and his staff rubs along it and she feels herself start to come. Then he pushes his fingers deep inside her and she does. She screams again, unable to control the sounds. She feels a warmness on her belly and a deep groan from Jayne. She wants to make sure he's okay but can't form anything but whimpers.

"You okay?" Jayne questions a few minutes later. "Sweetness, you gonna answer me?"

River opens her eyes and looks up to see Jayne looking at her intently. "Fine." River answers. "I like you touching my skin."

"I like touching it." Jayne replies with a smirk.

River props her body up with her hands and glances down at the wetness cooling on her lower belly. Sitting up completely, she feels it run slightly down her body. Fascinated by his release, she dips a finger into it curiously. It's cooled down a little and she lets it coat her finger before bringing said finger up to study. It resembles her release and she wonders what it tastes like. Jayne seemed to enjoy tasting hers so she thinks it will be the same with her. Unable to control her curiosity any longer, she sticks her finger into her mouth and sucks his essence off her skin.

Jayne watches as River studies his cum and just hopes it don't freak her out or nothin'. He's completely unprepared when she sticks her finger in it and then stares at it for a few moments. Then he's beyond unprepared when she sucks it off her finger.

"I want to taste you." River says.

"What now?" Jayne grunts, still picturing her sucking his cum off her finger.

"I want to taste you." River repeats. "Feel you in my mouth."

Jayne starts to harden at her words and is about to respond when Kaylee's voice echoes down the hall.

"I'll get her up." Kaylee says loudly. "River might be gettin' dressed or somethin'. I'll wake 'em up if they're still sleepin'."

Jayne groans when he realizes they're bout to get interrupted by Kaylee again. The door opens and Jayne reaches for River's blanket when he sees Kaylee's eyes are closed.

"Kay, I'm gonna keep my eyes closed till you guys tell me to open em." Kaylee says, turning around to face the door.

River grabs her nightgown and uses it to wipe her stomach off and dry the area between her legs before handing it to Jayne. She jumps off her bed and walks over to her dresser to get a clean dress.

Jayne uses her nightgown to wipe of his fingers and face and then tosses it in her dirty clothesbasket. He grabs his boxers and shirts and slips them off before finding his pants and pulling them on. He looks over at River to see her fully dressed. Slipping his boots on, he grabs River's arm and pulls her over to him.

"Mornin' pretty girl." Jayne whispers.

"Morning my Jayne." River whispers back.

Jayne leans down and kisses her gently. "Alright, Kaylee, you can open your eyes now." Jayne says after he breaks the kiss.

"I'm gonna go take a shower and change." Jayne tells River. "See you at breakfast. And you two try and stay outa trouble, dong ma?"

"We always do." River replies.

Jayne laughs. "Sure you do." Jayne agrees sarcastically.

River sticks her tongue out at him.

"Brat." Jayne says with a smile.

"Am not." River protests.

"Are too." Jayne replies. "And I like ya that way. It's all kinds of entertainin' to watch you torture Mal and your brother."

River tries to look innocent but fails miserably. "I find it fun too."

Kaylee laughs at River's face. "So do I." Kaylee agrees. "Simon and the cap'n are just all kinds of fussy and it's fun to see their feathers tickled."

Jayne drops a kiss on River's forehead and pats Kaylee on the arm before walking out of the room and leaving the girls to their upcoming gossip.

-


	7. Perfect Fit

Title: Perfect fit

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: Heavy, heavy R

-

"When are we going to be landing?" Book questions Mal.

Mal glances up from gun he's cleaning to see Book, Kaylee, Inara and Simon standing by the door. "Bout an hour or so."

"We gonna be able to go to town?" Kaylee asks.

"Ain't really a town where we're goin', little Kaylee." Mal replies. "Pretty much just gonna be us and the folks we're meetin' with. But we gotta drop the cash off on Persephone so you can get off there."

"What are we transporting anyways?" Simon questions. "You never did tell us."

"I got no clue and ain't sure if I want one." Mal answers.

"Can we at least get off the boat?" Kaylee asks Mal with big eyes.

"I don't think so, little Kaylee." Mal replies, refusing to look at her. "Badger warned me to watch my back; this job is gonna go ugly. I want everyone stayin' on the boat till we get back on, dong ma?"

"Yeah." Kaylee agrees with a pout. "How long we gonna be on Persephone?"

"Couple days." Mal answers. "Nara's gotta full schedule and I got a couple meetings lined up."

"Looks like another fun adventure in sitting." Simon mutters.

"Cap'n, can't he and River get off the boat?" Kaylee asks. "We can disguise em and keep em separate."

"I'll think bout it." Mal replies. "Speakin' of River, where is she?"

"Where else?" Simon answers. "With Jayne."

"She's helpin' him get the mule ready." Kaylee explains.

"Yeah, and I'm guessin' a lot of work is gettin' done." Mal mutters. "How's her belly lookin'?"

"Good actually." Simon answers. "I'm going to take the weaves out in a few days. She's healing very well."

"That's nice to hear." Mal replies. "I think it's bout time I checked on Jayne's progress and most likely, separate them two."

-

"Darlin' I'm supposed to be workin'." Jayne groans against River's mouth.

"But you are working." River says as she grinds down onto him. "Your hands are very active." River pushes onto his chest and forces him to lie down on the backseat of the mule.

"They sure are." Jayne agrees, his teeth tugging on her bottom lip. His hands massage her breasts through the fabric of her dress.

"Skin." River moans. "You must touch skin."

"We're in the gorram bay, sweetness." Jayne growls. "I ain't havin' somebody walkin' in and seein' you naked."

River sits up with a thoughtful look on her face. Then with a happy smile, she stands up to grab his coat off the front seat where he set it earlier. Before Jayne can comment, she pulls her dress off and then puts his coat on over her almost naked body. "Now you can touch skin." River says as she straddles his body again. "And nobody but you will see."

Jayne's hands automatically snake inside his coat to gently rub her bare belly. "You're just all kinds of smart." Jayne murmurs as his fingers trace over the healing cut on her belly. His hands glide up her sides to cup her breasts. She moans and arches into his hands. "Why don't ya just bend on down here, little darlin'?" Jayne says huskily.

River slides up Jayne's body a little and then eagerly leans over until her breasts are floating above Jayne's mouth. "I would like you to taste me now."

Jayne nips at the side of her breast, laughing when she squeals, before sucking her nipple into his mouth. The sides of the coat hang down to surround him, dimming out the bright lights of the bay until all he can really see is the milky skin above him. He drags his teeth across the hardened nub and groans against her mouth when she rotates her body down onto his. His mouth sucking greedily on her nipple, he slides his hand down her body to cup her heat.

"Oh…" River squeals at the surprise touch. His fingers pet her through the fabric of her wet panties and she can't hold back the pleasured gasps that leave her mouth. He presses the cloth firmly against her clit and rubs the fabric back and forth over her aroused flesh. With a frustrated moan, she reaches down to pull the fabric of her soaked panties to the side. "Please Jayne, inside. I must feel you inside."

Jayne coats two fingers with her juices and the forces them inside her warm body. He bites and sucks at her breasts and his fingers pump forcefully inside her. "You can't scream, baby." Jayne says as he works her body. "It'll echo through the gorram boat."

"Have to." River protests as she feels little shocks of pleasure shoot through her body.

"Can't." Jayne replies. Jayne removes his fingers from her body and pulls away from her breasts.

"No, Jayne, you mustn't. " River pants, her eyes brimming with tears. "Please don't stop. I will try not to scream."

"Hey, now." Jayne says as he moves them onto their sides, River's back pressed against the seat. "Ain't stoppin', just gettin' into a better position." His hand burrows back between her legs as he presses his mouth against hers. "Need ya to spread your legs, baby girl."

River moves her leg up to rest on the seat behind her leaving her body completely open.

"That's my girl." Jayne growls as he plunges his fingers back into her eager body.

River moans and whimpers against Jayne's mouth as her hips ride his fingers.

Jayne breaks the kiss so he can watch the pleasure float across her face. One of the most arousing things he's ever seen is her face as she cums. He's guessin' cause of what was done to her, she's got no control over her reactions cause in all the times he's had sex, he's never seen pleasure fill a face the way hers does. He brings his thumb up to press against her clit as his fingers pound into her.

River feels the familiar tightening in her belly and buries her face into his neck. When he pinches her clit between his fingers, she bites down on his neck to smother her scream.

Jayne groans loudly when her teeth break his skin. His fingers work her through her orgasm as his other hand rubs soothingly up and down her back. "You okay, darlin'?"

"Mmmhmm." River murmurs against his neck. She licks the wound a few times before moving up him to kiss his mouth.

Jayne can taste his blood on her lips as he slides his tongue into her mouth.

"I want to taste you." River says against Jayne's mouth.

"You are." Jayne replies.

"Not here." River reaches up to touch his lips. "Here." Her hand drops down to cup his cock.

"Jesus." Jayne groans as she forces him onto his back and crawls down his body to rest her elbows on each side of his hips. She quickly unfastens his pants and pulls his hard cock out.

River studies Jayne's cock for a few moments before grasping it firmly in her hand. Deciding the most logical place to start would be the top, she drops her mouth to kiss the head of his cock. Liking the groan that leaves his mouth, she sucks firmly.

Jayne's eyes close and his hands clench the seat underneath him. He knows he's not gonna last long, specially if she keeps suckin' at his tip like she is. His hips buck when her teeth nip him gently and he groans again when she wraps her tongue as far around his shaft as it will go and slides it up and down.

River likes the taste of his cock in her mouth and the feel of him under her tongue. Waiting to taste his release in her mouth, she moves back up his cock to take as much of him into her mouth as she can fit. He fills her mouth completely, almost making her gag.

Jayne groans loudly at the feel of her warm mouth around him. When she starts sucking him, her mouth firmly milking his cock, his hands fist in her hair as his balls start to tighten. Her name leaves his mouth in a shout as he bucks into her mouth.

River swallows Jayne's release greedily, liking the taste of him in her mouth. When his hands loosen in her hair, she gives his cock one last kiss before crawling up his body to rub her cheek against his.

Jayne slips his arms inside his coat and wraps them around River. With a playful growl, he attacks her neck with his teeth and tongue.

River giggles at Jayne's playful attack and reaches up to grab his face. Holding his face between her hands, she rubs her nose against his before moving down to kiss him softly.

"Where the gorram hell is he?" Mal's voice echoes through the bay. "I ruttin' told him to get the gorram mule ready and he ain't even in here."

"Gotta let me up, baby girl." Jayne says softly to River.

River kisses Jayne again and then slides against the seat so that he can get up.

Jayne stands up, his back to the crew and quickly tucks himself back inside his pants.

"Jayne, what the hell are you doin'?" Mal questions. "I thought I told ya to get the mule ready."

"I am, cap." Jayne replies as he zips up his pants.

"Where's River?" Simon asks. "I thought she was with you."

River stands up beside Jayne and smiles happily at her brother. "Right here."

Simon stares at River with a confused expression on his face. "Are you cold, mei-mei?"

"No." River answers, her eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "It is rather warm in here."

"Then why are you wearin' Jayne's coat?" Mal questions and then pauses thoughtfully. "You do got clothes on under it, right?"

"She has panties on." River replies. "But her dress is on the ground."

"Ai ya! Hwai leh!" Mal yells in disbelief. "My mule? You was ruttin' messin' round in my mule?"

Jayne ignores Mal's tirade and jumps out of the mule, his hands reaching back in to heft River out. "Here ya go, darlin'." Jayne says as he hands her dress to her. "Now, turn around and slip it on under the coat."

Jayne uses his big body to block everyone from seeing River as she slips back into her dress. When she pushes the coat off her bare shoulders, Jayne moves up right behind her to help her pull the straps back up her arms. He absently presses a kiss to her shoulder before turning her around to make sure her dress is adjusted correctly.

"Hey, pissed off captain here." Mal yells. "I wanna know what would ruttin' possess you to mess round in my mule."

"Weren't like we planned it Mal." Jayne replies. "Just kinda happened."

River walks around Jayne and moves to stand in front of Mal, looking up at him with big eyes and a slight pout. "It was her fault; she distracted Jayne from his work." River whispers tearfully. "Are you very mad at her captain daddy?"

Mal groans and looks away from River to glare at the smirking merc. "We done decided that ain't gonna work on me, little witch." Mal says.

River sniffles loudly.

"And no, I ain't mad at ya." Mal says quickly, not wanting to see her cry, even if he knows she's just playin' him. "Just want you two to find more appropriate places when you….distract Jayne, dong ma?"

"She promises to try." River replies and before he can yell at her, she reaches up to peck him on the cheek. "She is glad you are not mad at her." She then skips over to give Jayne a kiss.

Jayne snakes an arm around River's waist to hold her against him. "I recall sayin' I don't like you kissin' on the captain." Jayne growls against River's mouth.

River pulls back and looks up at Jayne. "You must not be jealous of captain daddy." River says. "I have no desire to lie with him."

"Don't change nothin'." Jayne replies. He kisses her forehead, turns her around, and smacks her gently on the ass. "Why don't you go and hang out with Kaylee while I finish get the mule prepped?"

River rubs her ass, glaring playfully over her shoulder at Jayne. "Come on Kaylee, let's go play with the engine."

"Don't even ruttin' think bout it." Jayne growls.

River sticks her tongue out at him before grabbing Kaylee's hand and pulling her out of the bay.

"Don't want her round the engine." Jayne tells Simon.

"Why are you telling me?" Simon replies.

"Cause you're her ruttin' brother." Jayne says.

Simon laughs. "You don't actually think she's going to listen to me, do you?" Simon replies. "The only person she even remotely listens to is you and I don't think she really does then."

"Hey, she listens to me." Mal protests.

"Sometimes." Simon agrees. "And sometimes she's able to manipulate you into doing what she wants you to, just like she did a few moments ago."

Mal turns to glare at him. "Why don't you go and get the infirmary ready for us?"

"That's probably a very good idea." Simon replies as he turns to leave the room. "Somebody's bound to get shot."

"Jayne, I want the mule cleaned out after the job." Mal orders. "Till then, you're ridin' in the back."

-

"Whatcha doin'?" Kaylee asks Simon.

"Seeing how much medicine we have left." Simon answers, turning around to smile at the mechanic. "What are you doing? I thought you and River were 'hanging' out."

"She said she needed to be alone for a while." Kaylee replies. "I'm guessin' she's in her room."

Simon sighs heavily. "She does this every time they go on a job." Simon tells Kaylee. "I think she can feel what they're doing and doesn't like to be around them when they come back."

"Oh." Kaylee replies. "Should we go look for her?"

"No, I think we should let her be." Simon says. "I really do think she just wants to be alone. She usually comes out after a hour or so."

Inara pokes her head into the infirmary, smiling at Kaylee and Simon. "They're on their way back." Inara interrupts their quiet conversation.

"Hey, Nara." Kaylee says. "They get hurt?"

"They didn't say." Inara answers. "Zoe just told Wash to get ready to leave."

"So most likely they did." Kaylee replies. "Come on, Simon, we should go see the damage."

Simon takes the hand Kaylee is holding out and follows her out of the infirmary. "Where's Book?"

"He's waiting in the bay." Inara answers. "You know how worried he gets."

They make it to the bay right as the mule drives in. Jayne jumps out and closes the bay door while Zoe runs over to the intercom to tell Wash to take off.

"Who's hurt?" Simon questions Zoe.

"Mal." Zoe answers. "But it ain't really nothin', just a scratch."

"Yeah, I'm fine, doc." Mal says as he jumps out of the mule, his hand held against his shoulder.

"Jayne, you're not injured?" Simon questions the merc.

"Naw." Jayne answers. "A few scratches but nothin' to worry bout."

"What happened?" Book questions.

"What else?" Mal replies. "They didn't wanna pay for the cargo and decided the best way to show this was to try and kill us. We made em see the error of their ways."

"We shot em." Jayne states simply, his eyes running over the bay. "Where's River?"

"We don't really know." Simon answers.

"You what?" Jayne replies angrily. "What the gorram hell do you mean you don't know?"

Simon takes a step back from Jayne. "She's on the boat, hiding somewhere." Simon assures the irate looking man. "I don't know if you've noticed, but she always hides while you're on a job. She usually comes out after an hour or so."

"Why?" Book questions.

"I'm not positive, but I think that she can feel what they're doing and doesn't feel comfortable being around them afterwards." Simon answers.

"I'm gonna go look for her." Jayne says, stomping out of the bay before they can say anything.

"I need Kaylee in the engine room." Wash's voice echoes through the bay.

"Kaylee, you and Book go to the engine room." Mal orders. "Zoe, you go see if Wash needs help. Nara, you can help the doc patch me up."

Simon follows the injured captain out of the bay, looking over at Inara with a smile. "Looks like this part of the plan happened as it was supposed to."

"Pardon?" Inara replies, slightly confused.

"Wash is flying us to safety from whoever might be chasing us." Simon explains. "And I'm about to patch up Mal after he got shot. All in all, this part of the plan worked."

Inara smiles when Mal turns his head to glare at Simon. "It always does."

-

Jayne stomps through the boat towards River's room, deciding it's the most logical place for her to be hidin'. He don't like the thought that she don't wanna be round him after he's killed; it don't fit anything she's done said bout her past. He knocks on the door and when she don't answer, he slides the door open and walks in, closing it behind him. He hears the shower runnin' and sighs with relief, knowin' she's just takin' a shower. He starts to sit on the bed when he hears a deep, painful moan from behind the shower door. Without thinkin' twice, he throws the door open.

"Wuo duh ma." Jayne mutters, his body hardening instantly at the sight of River. She's sittin' back against the shower wall, water pounding on top of her. Her legs are bent and spread wide, three fingers pumping forcibly in and out of her body, tears running down her face.

"It's worse." River cries as she pumps her fingers harshly. "It never hurt this much before; was never this strong."

"Baby, I don't understand." Jayne says as he walks towards her. His hand reaches under the flow of water to find it ice cold. He turns it off and squats down so that he's face level with her.

"I can't make it stop burning." River explains as she reaches up to pinch a nipple. "Please, Jayne, help me."

"Baby, I don't know what you want me to do." Jayne says softly.

River doesn't answer, instead she throws her legs over his shoulders, forcing him do sit down to keep from falling.

Jayne grasps River's smooth, wet legs and grows harder, something he didn't believe was possible. "Baby, whadda want me to do."

"Help me." River pleads, using her legs to pull his face towards her aching cunt. "Make me scream."

Jayne finally realizes what's wrong with her and with a growl, spreads her folds and sucks her clit into his mouth. He thrusts two fingers in time with his suction on her clit. He knows that she needs to cum, he can tell by the tension in her body. He wonders how long she's been in here, tryin' to get herself off and his arousal tightens painfully. He uses his teeth to scrap against her aroused clit and is rewarded when she screams his name loudly. His fingers work her gently through her orgasm and when her body stops pulsing around his fingers, he pulls them out and stands up. Grabbing a towel off the ground, he picks River's panting body off the ground and carries her out of the bathroom.

Jayne sits down on her bed, ignoring the feel of his now wet clothes. Cradling her against his chest, he uses the towel to dry off her body as best he can. "Wanna tell me what that was bout?" Jayne questions. "Not that I minded or nothin'."

River sits up and straddles Jayne's lap. Pushing her wet hair over her shoulder, she then wraps her arms around his neck. "I can feel you." River whispers. "Feel the blood lust pulsing through your body; it makes me throb."

Jayne groans and holds her hips still, his control almost gone. "You do this a lot?"

"Masturbate?" River replies, trying to buck her hips against his.

Jayne nods.

"Yes." River answers. "Every time you go on a job, it burns through me for hours. Simon believes I don't want to be around you but nothing is further from the truth. I have to hide so I can releave the tension." River then pulls his mouth down to hers to kiss him hungrily as her hands move under his shirt to play with his chest.

Jayne breaks the kiss with a groan and pulls her hands out from under his shirt. "Darlin' we can't do this, not now." Jayne groans.

"Why not?" River questions as she runs her mouth down his neck.

"I'm not gonna be able to hold back." Jayne replies. "I ain't got the control."

"Don't want you to hold back." River says. "I just want you."

"You sure bout this." Jayne asks.

River just snakes her hands between them to unbutton his pants.

Jayne captures her small wrists in his hands and pulls them away. "No, baby."

River looks up at him with hurt eyes. "You do not want me?"

Jayne laughs.

Tears fill River's eyes as she tries to move off Jayne's lap. When his arms tighten around her, she tries to push away from him.

"Baby, stop." Jayne says as he tries to catch her flailing limbs.

"No." River growls. "You do not want me."

Jayne flips them over and holds River against the bed, her arms held above her head. "I want you more than I've ever wanted anything in my whole gorram life." Jayne growls down as he presses his rock hard cock against her belly. "The fact that you questioned it is why I laughed, dong ma?"

River smiles happily up at him. "Make love to me." River whispers as she wraps her arms and legs around him.

"Not here." Jayne says as he stands up with her attached to him. He grabs her blanket and wraps it around them. "Most likely, Kaylee, your brother, or Mal would walk in within 5 minutes."

"Where are we going?" River questions as she rubs her face against his.

"My bunk." Jayne answers. "And we ain't leavin' for a long, gorram while."

River giggles and licks Jayne's cheek.

Jayne walks through the halls, groaning occasional when River nips his neck or bites his earlobe.

"Is she okay?" Simon questions worriedly, rushing out the infirmary to stop Jayne as he walks by.

"She's fine." Jayne answers curtly as he walks past the doctor.

"Jayne, where you goin' with my little genius?" Mal questions.

"She ain't yours." Jayne growls. "And we're goin' to my bunk."

Mal watches them leave and can't help but smile. Things are gonna get mighty interesting round here and Mal loves nothin' more than some drama.

-

River drops the blanket to the ground and looks around Jayne's bunk with curious eyes. They've never been down here together; Jayne wouldn't bring her down here. She understands now; it's too private. Her eyes catch the naked women on his walls and she turns to look at him with a glare, her fists resting on her hips.

Jayne knows she's pissed bout somethin' but can't really focus past her naked body to figure it out.

"I cannot have sex with you if they are watching." River says, waving a hand to the pictures.

"Can't this wait till later?" Jayne questions as he steps forward to grab her hips.

River shakes her head wildly. "No." River replies. "I can't if they are still up there."

"They're just pictures, darlin'." Jayne says. "Don't mean a gorram thing."

River traces her hand over Jayne's chest. "They're prettier than me." River whispers. "And have bigger breasts and aren't broken girls with broken brains."

Jayne cups her face in his hands. "You're beautiful, baby, don't ever doubt that." Jayne says huskily. "And they might have bigger tits but I like yours." His hands cup her breasts to illustrate his point. "And you ain't broken, not no more." His hands slide down to cup her ass, pulling her against his cock. "Why don't I just prove how much I want you." He picks her up and deposits her on his bed before she can respond. He drops the guns still strapped to his body to the ground and kicks off his boots. His shirt and pants come off next and then he sits down on the edge of his bed and runs his fingers up and down River's body.

"Mmm." River hums happily as she wiggles around on his bed. "No holding back, Jayne. You must touch me."

Jayne lies down next to her and leans over to kiss her deeply. He runs his hand up and down her sides before cupping her right breast. His thumb rubs over her nipple as his other hand slides down to test her body. Her legs spread eagerly and he pushes two fingers into her wet, warm heat. Her body molds tightly around his fingers and he knows he ain't gonna be able to wait long till it's his cock inside her. But for now, he just pumps his fingers shallowly, tryin' to get her as worked up as he can.

River moans against Jayne's mouth and pushes against his hand, trying to get him to move deeper. "More." River pants against his mouth. "Moremoremoremore. Need more, Jayne." She throws a leg over his hip, baring her body completely to his fingers.

Jayne kisses River's panting mouth, trying to soothe her distress. His thumb rubs her clit evenly as he works another finger inside her.

River groans at the feel of her body stretching around his fingers. "Feels tight." River pants.

"You are tight, baby." Jayne groans. "So gorram tight."

"Full." River mewls. "I'm not full. I need you to fill me."

"Oh, I will, baby." Jayne growls huskily. "Just gotta make sure you're properly stretched first is all."

River slams her hips against his fingers, pushing them deep inside her. "I'm stretched."

Jayne pulls his fingers out with a growl. He sticks them in his mouth as he stands up, sucking her juices off them. His hands then push his boxers off and he crawls down to straddle her body.

River wraps her legs around his hips and pulls him closer until his cock is posed at her entrance.

"Hold on, baby." Jayne groans. "I gotta find some protection."

"Inara gave me a birth control shot the morning after the first time we slept together." River says. She tightens her legs around his hips until the tip of his cock is inside her. "It's time to come inside now."

Jayne rests his weight on his arms as he pushes slowly inside her. He closes his eyes when he's completely inside her, trying to give her enough time to adjust to his size.

River flinches at the first initial stretching and pants as she adjusts to his size. After a few moments, she rolls her hips against his and moans at the little shocks of pleasure-pain that flash through her body.

Once she rolls her hips, and he knows she's ready, Jayne pulls completely out of her body before pushing back in.

River's eyes open widely as Jayne's body pushes in and out of her. Her nails scratch at his back as whimpers escape her throat. She feels full, filled up completely. She rubs her chest against his and tightens her legs around his hips, never wanting him to leave.

Jayne finds her mouth with his as his thrusts become sloppier. He knows he's not gonna last much longer so he reaches between them to find her clit. His mouth swallows her moans as he twists and pulls on the nubbin. His eyes cross as her walls tighten around him and he breaks the kiss so that he can hear her scream his name. He waits until she's writhing wildly under him before pushing deep inside her. He shouts her name as he cums and collapses on top of her after a few seconds.

River stretches underneath Jayne, her body completely relaxed. She feels completely safe with Jayne's body on top of hers.

Jayne rests his head beside River's head as he tries to come to grasps with what just happened. She's his now, completely his and there ain't a force in the verse that'll make him give her up. He groans when she stretches beneath him, feeling his body start to reharden. He rolls off her with another groan, pulling her body on top of his. "You okay?"

"Yes." River answers as she snuggles into his chest. "I like sex."

"So do I." Jayne agrees with a laugh.

River sits up and then crawls down his legs. She looks over her shoulder at him with a lusty grin. "I would like to try it this way now."

Jayne growls when River shakes her ass at him and quickly scampers down the bed to cover her back with his chest. His fingers dip between her thighs to find her still sopping wet. He spreads her folds and pushes deeply inside her.

River mewls and pushes her hips back against his. She arches her neck to the side as her fingers dig into Jayne's mattress.

Jayne buries his face into her neck and sucks harshly at the soft skin. His teeth clamp against her, holding her in place while his body slams into hers.

River's breaths come out in helpless pants as Jayne's body fills hers over and over again. Stars burst behind her closed eyelids when he bites her and she groans deep in her throat. Her body is floating with pleasure as he continues to push inside her.

Jayne finds her clit with one hand and pinches a nipple with other as he works in and out of her body. Her body bows and her arms collapse as her body milks his.

River falls face forward onto the pillow beneath her and uses it to muffle her release. Her ass still in the air, she spreads her legs further to accompany Jayne's erratic thrusts.

Jayne cums a few seconds after River and manages to flip them over so that he won't crush her. His hands fish on the floor until he finds the edge of her blanket and pulls it over them. "You alright?" Jayne mumbles into River's ear.

"I'm sleepy now." River replies as she turns to bury her face into his chest. "But I would like to have more sex when we wake up."

"Me too." Jayne agrees as he starts to fall asleep.

"Jayne." River says.

"Yeah baby." Jayne grunts sleepily.

"You are very big." River whispers. "But you fit inside me perfectly."

Jayne nuzzles the top of her head with his face. "Yep." Jayne agrees. "Perfect fit."

-


	8. Relations

Title: Relations

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Not mine

FYI: I'm very excited by this chapter and the one that will follow, as I have been building up to this since the start of the story.

Jayne reaches for River and sits up with a growl when his arms come up empty. Looking around his bunk, he sighs heavily when he sees her sitting on the ground, a pad of drawing paper in her hand. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Making you new pictures." River answers as finishes the picture she is drawing. "I removed the other ones."

Jayne glances over to his wall to see all his nudie pictures gone. "You that jealous, baby?" Jayne questions with an egotistical smirk.

River looks up at him with a glare. "Would you like for me to have naked pictures of other men on my walls?"

His smirk disappears. "No."

River tears the last picture off and sets the pad on the ground before grabbing the rest of her drawings. She stands up gracefully and jumps on top of Jayne with a squeal, the paper held tightly in her hands.

Jayne grunts as River lands on his stomach and his hands come up to grab her ass. He kneads the soft flesh with his hands, his body hard.

River moans and rubs herself against Jayne for a second before pulling away with a determined look. "I drew you pictures of your girl."

Jayne takes the papers, thinking it's more pictures of his guns. His jaw drops open and he stares at the pictures with lust-filled eyes.

"I peaked." River whispers.

"Huh?" Jayne mutters as he leafs through the pages.

"This is how you see me." River explains. "I peaked just so I could see."

Jayne thinks he should be a little pissed that she went peakin' into his mind but he's too busy starin' at the pictures. The first one is innocent enough, just River sleepin'. He remembers exactly where and when it's from; right before the first time they kissed. He can still see the peaceful look on her face.

The next one is a little racier; she's straddlin' what he knows to be his stomach and his hands are under her nightgown. Her body is arched towards his hands, her eyes closed and hair dangling to rub against his thighs.

He flips to the next page and runs a finger down the page. He remembers this one well. She's leanin' back against the shower wall, her body being soaked with three of her fingers deep inside her. Her face even has the frustrated, painful look that he remembers bein' on it. The next picture is just a few seconds later, his face buried deep in her heat. Her legs are diggin' into his back while her face is flooded with pleasure.

The fifth picture right as she came, the first time they had sex. Her legs are wrapped tight around his hips, her mouth opened in a scream, and her body arched with pleasure. The last one is of them on their hands and knees, his body blanketing hers, her hands digging into the mattress, head arched to the side with his teeth holding her in place. One of his hands is tweaking a nipple while the other is between their bodies.

"Do you like them?" River questions nervously.

"Love em." Jayne assures her. "It's like you took pictures of how I remember it."

"Are you going to hang them up?" River asks.

"Are you crazy?" Jayne replies quickly. "What if'n somebody comes down here? I don't want nobody but me seein' you like this. I'll pick somethin' up on Persephone to keep em in." He reaches out and gently sets the pictures on his chair before snaking his hands out to pull her against him. "You sore, baby?"

River dips a hand between her naked legs to bury two fingers inside of herself. She pumps them a few times before pulling them out and pressing them against his lips. "Nope." River answers, moaning when he sucks on her fingers. "Not sore."

"That's good." Jayne drawls lustfully. "Cause I'm thinkin' we should be workin' on that sex we was talkin' bout."

"Yes." River agrees as she straddles his cock. "I would like that."

Jayne drops his mouth to suck at her throat right as she drops her body on his. He lets her set the pace and is rather happy that it's just as he prefers it, hard and fast. His hands mold her breasts, paying close attention to the two hard nubs pressing against his palms. His mouth drags down her throat to drag a nipple into his mouth, his teeth pulling gently on the aroused bit of flesh.

"Ohh..ohh…full." River moans as she slams herself onto him over and over again. "You fill me right up."

Jayne grunts when River's body slams down onto his hard enough that one of her weaves bust open. Jayne grasps her hips to stop her downward thrusts.

"No." River growls. "Don't stop."

"Baby, you're hurt." Jayne says.

"Please, Jayne." River pleads. "It burns."

"Not so hard then." Jayne gives in, his hands grasping her hips to keep her thrusts softer. Jayne pulls her nipple back into his mouth while his hand buries between them to find her clit. He rubs her clit roughly and tugs her nipple with his teeth.

River arches towards Jayne and opens her mouth with a wordless cry as her walls clench tightly around him. Jayne bucks up against her a few more times before coming with a loud groan.

River collapses against Jayne's chest, panting heavily.

Jayne pulls away after a few minutes and lies her down on the bed to examine her stomach. "Your brother's gonna hafta put another weave in." Jayne declares through clenched teeth.

River stands up to wrap her arms around Jayne's neck. "Not your fault." River whispers. "I didn't want you to stop."

"Get dressed, baby girl." Jayne orders as he looks around his bunk for her clothes. "Where's your clothes?"

"You carried me naked, remember?" River replies.

"Right." Jayne agrees. "Wait a ruttin' second, you must'va left to get the drawin' stuff, what'd you wear then?"

River walks over to grab a t-shirt off the ground. "This." River declares, holding his old, cut up blue sun t-shirt.

"You ruttin' walked round this boat in nothin' but a t-shirt?" Jayne bellows.

"Everybody was sleeping." River defends as she pulls the shirt back on.

"But they ain't sleepin' now." Jayne growls. He digs around his clothes until he finds a pair of drawstring shorts and hands them to her.

River pulls the shorts on and pulls the drawstring tight. "They are much too big." River declares, the shorts hanging off her small frame.

"Well, yeah, you're so gorram tiny." Jayne agrees as he ties his boots. He stands up and stretches before ushering her towards the ladder. "And where are your slippers? Ya gotta stop walkin' round barefoot."

"They are in my room." River answers as she climbs up the ladder. "I will go get them."

"Nope." Jayne says, snagging her wrist. "You're goin' to the infirmary."

"Do I have to?" River asks with big eyes and a small pout.

"Yep." Jayne replies, bending his head to nip at her lip. "That look ain't gonna work on me."

"It has before." River pouts, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You're just so gorram cute." Jayne says as he wraps an arm around her waist. "And it don't work if it's bout keepin' you safe."

River sighs and leans against his side as he steers her towards the infirmary. She hops up on the sickbed and kicks her feet back and forth while Jayne hits the com to call Simon into the infirmary.

Simon runs into the infirmary with Zoe and Mal right on his heals. "What happened?" Simon questions Jayne.

"One of her weaves busted open." Jayne answers.

Simon orders River to lie down and pulls up the bottom of her shirt to examine the damage.

"Busted open how?" Mal yells. "Gorramit, Jayne, I trusted that she wouldn't come to harm with you."

"Stop it, captain daddy." River yells back. "It wasn't Jayne's fault. He stopped but I made him continue."

"Made him continue what?" Mal asks.

River just gives him a look.

"Oh." Mal mutters. "Little witch, I didn't wanna know that."

"You did ask." River replies.

"Guess I just overreacted a bit." Mal admits sheepishly.

"I shoulda stopped." Jayne says. "But she's too gorram hard to say no to."

"I know." Mal and Simon both agree.

"How's she look?" Jayne questions, looking down at River's stomach. "Why you takin' em all out? Shouldn't you be puttin' em back in?"

"She's healing at a remarkable rate." Simon replies, slightly in awe. "I've never seen anyone heal this fast; she just needs the wound covered with gauze."

River waits for Simon to finish before sitting up with a happy sigh. She jumps off the bed and walks over to Jayne. "I'm hungry."

"Me too." Jayne agrees. He takes the hand she's holding out and they walk out of the infirmary.

"Well, looks like you got yourself a shiny new brother." Mal comments to Simon.

"What do you mean?" Simon questions.

"I've seen that look on a man before." Mal replies. "He's in love with your sister and I know Jayne well enough to know that nothin' short of death is gonna make him let her go."

"Well, that's a nice development." Simon comments. "So you're saying that my sister now has her very own, personal mercenary?"

"Yep." Mal replies.

"My father would have a fit." Simon says with a smile. "And I wish I could tell him just so I could see it."

"That ain't a very charitable attitude." Mal observes as he follows Simon out of the infirmary.

"You've never met my father." Simon replies. "You'd understand if you had."

-

"Alright, we're gonna be landin' on Persephone in an hour or so." Mal tells the crew as they're gathered around the table, eating lunch. "Me, Jayne, and Zoe will go meet with Badger while Nara and Kaylee work on River and the doc's disguises."

"Disguises?" Jayne questions as he shovels food into his mouth.

"Yeah." Kaylee replies cheerfully. "Cap'n is lettin' em off the boat but we gotta disguise em first."

"Jayne, River's with you and Simon's with Kaylee." Mal orders. "I want everyone stayin' away from places feds are known to be and keepin' a low profile. That means no hurtin' somebody if'n they happen to look at River in a way you don't approve of, Jayne."

"Is this really a good idea?" Jayne asks.

"Probably not." Mal replies. "But they ain't gotten off the ship since we picked up post and River needs clothes of her own. Looks like you get to go shoppin'."

Jayne mutters a few curses under his breath.

"I need new under things." River whispers to Jayne. "You may pick them out."

"Huh." Jayne mutters with a grin. "Now that don't sound half bad."

"Mei-mei, I didn't want to hear that." Simon groans.

River smiles at her brother before leaning over to whisper in Jayne's ear. "And you can help me try them on."

"That defiantly don't sound bad." Jayne drawls as he pulls River out of her chair and onto his lap.

"Are you two going to do that all the time?" Simon questions, wincing as he watches his sister nip Jayne's neck.

"Yep." They both answer.

"Do ya have to do it in front of us?" Mal asks, looking away from them.

"Yep."

"That's gonna get real old real fast." Mal mutters. "Jayne, keep your hands outa her clothes when we're in the room."

"Oh, Mal." Jayne complains, his hands sliding under the shirt she's wearing.

"I mean it." Mal says firmly. "I know you're…sleepin' together but I don't wanna have to witness it, dong ma?"

"Fine." Jayne agrees. "You bout done eatin', baby?"

"Yes." River answers.

Jayne stands up with River in his arms and starts towards the door. "We're gonna go work on the sleepin' thing."

"You best have your ass in the bay in 45 minutes." Mal yells after Jayne.

"Wasn't that interesting?" Wash comments. "Anybody else notice they both have bite marks?"

-

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Jayne asks Simon before bursting into laughter.

"That's a nice look for you." Mal comments with a smirk.

"Shut up." Simon says. He looks down at the bright, tropical-flowered shirt he's wearing and loose cargo pants with old, dirty boots before looking back up Mal and Jayne. "I'm not leaving this boat."

"Course you are." Kaylee says as she walks over to grab his hand. "Oh, we forgot somethin'." She sets a battered hat on Simon's head with a smile. "There you go."

"I look like an idiot." Simon groans. "An idiot that a clown exploded on."

"My favorite shirt?" Wash complains as he moves into the bay. "How did you get my favorite shirt? I've been looking for it for months."

"Zoe said he could use it." Kaylee replies.

"Wifey, did you hide my favorite shirt and then give it to Simon to wear?" Wash asks.

"Yes." Zoe answers.

"Okay." Wash replies. "But Simon, I want that shirt back."

"You can have it now." Simon says. "Because I'm not going."

"Yes, you are Simon." River says from behind them.

Jayne turns around, his jaw dropping open. "You're goin' out in that?" Jayne asks slowly. "I don't think so."

"River, don't you look pretty." Kaylee gushes. "I love that dress."

"That ain't a dress." Jayne growls. "Hell, there ain't nuf fabric in that to make a shirt."

"You don't like it?" River questions quietly.

"Course I like it." Jayne replies. "What's not to like?" His eyes move down the tight, short blue dress she's wearin'. It has small straps that leave her arms and shoulder completely bare, the front dippin' down to show the tops of her creamy breasts. It molds her from the top of her body down to her waist and then flows down to end a few inches above mid-thigh. Her legs are bare and feet strapped in a pair of high-heeled sandals. Her hair is piled on top of her head, a few curls hangin' down and she's wearin' makeup. All-in-all, she don't look nothin' like her picture floatin'round on the cortex. "Whose clothes are those anyways?"

"Nara's." Kaylee answers. "They're bout the same size except in the chest area."

"Alright, I want everyone back on this boat in 2 hours." Mal orders. "Book, you wanna go with Kaylee and Simon? I'm gonna go with Zoe and Wash."

"Sure." Book agrees.

"Come on, baby." Jayne says as he wraps an arm over her shoulder and pulls her against his side.

River cuddles into Jayne as they walk through the crowded streets of Persephone. She spies a general store, one that sells clothes, food, toys, and other general merchandise and points to it. "There."

"You wanna go in there?" Jayne asks. "I figured you'd wanna go to some fancy store."

"I'd rather go in there." River replies. "I've never been in a store like that."

Jayne opens the door and leads River into the crowded store. She happily grabs a cart and pushes it towards the clothing section.

Jayne shakes his head at River's excitement and follows her through the store.

River stops in front of a display holding shorts and tank tops and puts a few of each in her cart. She then pushes the cart over to a rack of dresses and flips through them before pulling out 5 that she likes. They're all the same cut that she's wearing now; strappy, dresses that are tight on top, down to the waist and then flow down her body. One of them ends mid-thigh, one ends above her knees and the other three reach her feet.

"That all the clothes you're getting'?" Jayne questions.

"I need new pajamas." River answers.

"Nope." Jayne replies with a grin. "You don't need em."

"And why not?" River asks with a grin.

"Cause." Jayne answers as he moves right up behind her. He places his arms around her and his hands on the handles next to hers. "I like ya naked."

River leans her head back against Jayne's shoulder and nips his neck. "I like being naked." River whispers.

Jayne drops his mouth onto River's and she tilts her head to deepen the kiss. His hand moves up to cup a breast and he swallows her moan. His other hand reaches down to her thigh and starts to work under the material when he hears a loud cough. Breaking the kiss, he looks up to see an old couple looking at them with smiles.

"Just thought I'd remind you that you're in a public place." The old man says with a smile. "And point out the group of boys staring at your girl."

Jayne looks to where the man indicates to see a group of boys, no older than 18 or 19, lookin' at River in a way he don't approve of. "Got a problem?" Jayne questions evenly.

"Just looking." One of the boys replies.

"You don't stop lookin' and you ain't gonna be conscious long nuf to remember what you've seen." Jayne threatens, his arms tightening around River's waist.

"Jayne, don't." River says quietly, her hands moving over his while her body leans completely into him. "They're just boys."

"They're just boys who are gonna find themselves bein' thrown through a ruttin' wall if they don't stop lookin' at you." Jayne replies, glaring at the group.

River pushes the cart away from the boys and towards the lingerie section. Jayne's hand rests on the pistol strapped to his, a non-verbal threat aimed towards the group still starin' at River. After a moment, the boys move on with one last look at the tiny genius.

"Jayne." River says, tugging on his arm to get his attention.

"Yeah, baby girl?" Jayne replies, turning his head to find her. A low-wolf whistle leaves his mouth at the fabric held in her hand.

"You like?" River asks, holding the black lace thongs up in the air.

"Hell, yeah." Jayne replies as he starts to sort through the racks of underwear. "These too." Jayne says after a few minutes, showing River an assorted amount of underwear.

River raises an eyebrow at the scraps of fabric Jayne threw into the cart. "Any others?"

Jayne spies a pack of plain, white cotton panties and grabs her size. "I'm thinkin' them lacey things can't be all that comfortable." Jayne tosses the pack into the cart. "Don't ya need to get some bras?"

River glances down at her chest. "I probably should." River agrees as she mentally calculates the size she will need. She's never worn off the rack clothing and this shopping experience is completely new to her. She grabs one cotton bra and then lets Jayne pick out the rest. "I should try them on now."

Jayne follows River as she walks across the clothing section to the dressing rooms. He waits while she gets the card from the kid runnin' the rooms and then reaches into the cart to grab all her clothes. With a smirk at the kid, he follows her inside and closes the door firmly behind them.

River kicks the sandals she's wearing off and drops her dress to the ground. She turns around and puts a hand on Jayne's chest to push him down onto the chair in the corner of the small room. She then digs through the pile of clothes on his lap until she finds the black thong and matching bra.

"I'd known you didn't have panties on under that dress we never woulda made it out of the boat." Jayne drawls as he leans back in the chair, his arms crossed behind his head as he watches River dress.

"Which is why you were not told." River replies as she grabs a tank top and pulls it on. "Is it too tight?"

"Turn around so's I can see." Jayne orders as he shifts restlessly in the chair. His eyes start to gaze over as he takes in his girl dressed in nothin' but a tight, white tank top and a pair of black-lace thongs. "No." Jayne manages to choke out.

River grabs a pair of the shorts she picked out and slips them on. They're short and tight, barely covering her ass cheeks.

"Ya know ya ain't walkin' outa the boat dressed like that." Jayne says as he motions for her to turn around. "Or my bunk."

River rolls her eyes as she strips back down to the underwear. She hands the shorts and top back to Jayne and grabs one of the dresses. She slips it on and turns around for Jayne to zip up.

"I like it." Jayne drawls, placing a hand on her waist to turn her around. "Looks all kinds of innocent if'n I didn't know ya hand on them panties."

"Unzip me please." River says as she turns around again.

Jayne tosses the clothes onto the bench and then pulls River towards him until the back of her thighs touch the chairs. "You tryin' on more?" Jayne questions lowly as he runs his hands up her bare arms.

"No." River moans. "They are all the same and there is no point in trying more on."

"Good." Jayne drawls as he slowly pulls the zipper down her back. He pushes it down her shoulders to pool at her feet.

River kicks the dress away and shifts her feet restlessly as she waits for Jayne to touch her. She bites her lip when his fingers graze the crotch of the panties she's wearing.

"What's it feel like?" Jayne growls as he caresses her clit through the fabric of her panties.

"Rough." River moans. "Scratches and makes me wet but offers no release."

Jayne continues to rub her through the fabric with one hand while the other slides up her side to cup her breast. His thumb rubs the lace against her nipple until it's hard as a rock. He then moves to her other breast to give it the same treatment.

River widens her stance and starts to ride Jayne's hand, trying to get him to touch her more. "Please."

"Please what, baby girl?" Jayne questions, his voice rough. He slips a finger into the tight panties and rubs it against her clit, once.

"Ohhh.." River shudders as she bucks against Jayne's hand. "Jayne, please."

"Please what?" Jayne repeats as he pushes his finger inside her tight sheath.

River's head drops forward as her hips press back against his fingers. "Want you inside me." River moans. "Want you to make me scream."

Jayne pulls his finger out with growl and then stands up. "Take em off." Jayne orders as he unbuckles his belt and pushes his pants and boxers down. Grabbin' the chair he'd been sittin' on, he spins it around and pushes the seat against the wall. He pulls River towards him, kisses her roughly, and then spins her around. "Hold on to the chair."

River grabs the back of the chair and holds on tight.

Jayne places a kiss in her exposed neck in an effort to soothe her tense body. He uses his knee to spread her body until she's bent over the chair, her legs quivering from the strain of keeping herself up. "You alright, baby?" Jayne asks.

"Please." River begs, wiggling her ass at him. "Inside."

Jayne places a hand on her hip and reaches down to separate her folds. He pushes into her with one hard thrust, his eyes closing at the feel of her surrounding him.

"Oh..oh.." River grunts, her hands holding onto the chair with a death grip. In the back of her mind she registers that they are in a public area and bites her lip to hold in her moan.

Jayne thrusts heavily into River, his hand moving to rub against her clit. The sound his body hittin' hers echoes through the room and he knows anybody standin' outside can hear em. He gives em bout 3 minutes, 5 at the most until somebody's poundin' on the door. He presses his thumb against her clit, pinches a nipple and slams into her body over and over again. "Baby, don't scream."

"It will come out on it's own." River moans, knowing that she won't be able to hold it in.

Jayne moves his hand away from her breast and up to her mouth. "Bite down on my arm when it's comin'."

River drops her mouth to rest against Jayne's arm as he fills her and unfills her and fills her over and over again. She knows if it weren't for the chair she is leaning against, she would have collapsed long again. His thumb presses hard against her clit once, twice, and on the third time, she bites his arm to muffle her scream.

When River's teeth break his skin, he pushes harder into her, the chair crackling under the strain, and buries his face in her back to disguise his groan.

River pants heavily, her body absorbing the feel of Jayne's on top of hers.

Jayne moves back after a few moments and glances down at his arm to see blood trickling from the mark. He wipes it off on the t-shirt he's still wearing and pulls his pants back up. He bends down to grab the black panties and bra and takes the tags off them before moving back to River. "You alright?"

"Yes." River says happily. "Just resting."

"We probably got bout 2 minutes for somebody comes poundin'." Jayne says, smacking her bare ass lightly. "Gotta get dressed."

River straightens up with a sigh and turns to face him. She steps into the panties he's holding out and lets him pull them up her body. "They're wet." River comments, a slight shudder running through her body when the fabric rubs against her still sensitive flesh.

"That ain't surprisin'." Jayne smirks as he hands her the bra.

River slips her arms into the straps and then reaches behind her to snap the bra. She picks up the dress she wore in the store and pulls it on over her body. She slips on the sandals Inara leant her and then turns to face Jayne with a big smile. "I like shopping."

"Baby, shoppin' normal don't happen like this." Jayne replies as he gathers up the clothes she's buyin'.

"Why not?" River questions as she follows Jayne out of room. "It's fun."

-

"Neal, boss said it's time for your break." Nick tells his best friend. "Don't see why the hell you need one since the only thing you do is sit on your ass, hand people cards, and tell them what room to use."

"Shh." Neal hushes, waving his arm.

"What the gorram hell?" Nick starts to question when he hears a moan from one of the dressing rooms. "What's going on?"

"Bout 30 minutes ago, some big guy and some hot girl went into that dressing room." Neal starts to explain.

"You're not supposed to let couples go into the rooms." Nick says, staring at the door.

"I know that but there was no way I was telling him that." Neal replies. "He's huge and armed."

Both boys stare at the door, straining to hear what's going on behind it.

"Neal, you're supposed to be on break."

Neal and Nick turn around to see their manager David walking towards them.

"What are you staring at?" David questions following their gaze. Right as he's about to ask another questions, a door opens and a large man walks out followed closely by a small woman. "Why didn't you stop them?"

"Because I didn't want to have my neck broken." Neal replies, nodding his head to the large man. "He looks like the kind of man to do that kind of thing."

-

Jayne walks out of the dressing room and looks up to see three guys starin' at him. A scowl cross his face as he waits for River to catch up to him. Spyin' a checkout counter, he stomps towards it. "Come on, baby." Jayne orders. "Still need to pick up some ammo fore we go back to the boat."

River ignores Jayne and walks over to the display of albums. She picks out a black one and carries it over to where Jayne is still glaring at the guys. "For your pictures." River says as she sets the album down. "Jayne, you're not allowed to hurt anybody, remember? Captain's orders."

Jayne wraps an arm around River's waist and pulls her to his side. "They shouldn'ta been listenin' to what weren't their business." Jayne says, still glaring at them.

River sighs and reaches under the hem of the skirt where a pocket is sewn. She pulls out the money inside it and looks up towards the store's employees. "May we pay now?" River questions sweetly.

"Um, yeah." David replies as he starts to ring up the clothing. When his hands linger to long over the panties, the large man slams a hand on the counter.

"You best be hurryin' this up." Jayne growls loudly.

David quickly rings up the rest of the purchases and puts them in two bags. "Anything else?"

"Yeah." Jayne replies, digging into his pocket to pull out the tags he torn off the bra and panties she's wearin'. "These."

David fingers the tags. "Um, I'm confused."

"She's wearin' em." Jayne explains. "Just ring em up." Jayne waits for the total and starts to pull out the money when he sees River start to hand over some cash. "Where'd you get money from?"

"Captain daddy." River answers, looking up at Jayne.

Jayne grabs the money she placed in the clerk's hand and replaces it with his own. "Ain't no way in hell I'm lettin' Mal buy your clothes."

River rolls her eyes, slightly amused by Jayne's possessiveness.

"Come on, baby, let's go." Jayne says as he takes the bags from the clerk. He places a hand on River's back and ushers her out of the store. "Gotta get some ammo, smokes, and booze."

"Okay." River replies, leaning into his side.

Jayne glances down at River, a bit shocked that she didn't throw a fit bout him wastin' money on booze and smokes.

"Jayne." River says.

"Yeah." Jayne replies.

"I would like to buy a gun of my own." River says.

Jayne thinks bout it for a second before agreeing. "Alright, but nothin' big."

-

"We're late." River comments as they walk towards Serenity.

"Yeah." Jayne agrees, not really caring. "Looks like your brother ditched the hat."

River giggles at the sight of her brother, who is still wearing the bright shirt.

"I see em." Kaylee says, poking Simon in the shoulder and gesturing to River and Jayne who are walking towards them.

"They're late." Mal says.

"Don't be such a grump, cap'n." Kaylee scolds. "They had to go clothes shoppin', that takes a bit of time."

"Don't see why." Mal mutters. "Just grab what ya need and move on, that's my theory."

"Ya gotta least try things on." Kaylee replies. "Right Simon?" When the doctor doesn't answer, Kaylee looks over at him. "What's wrong?"

"Doc, whatcha starin' at?" Mal questions, following Simon's gaze. He sees the private transport ship parked next to them that has the doc so fascinated. "Miss ridin' round in those richie vehicles?"

Simon turns to face the crew, his face completely white. "We have to go." Simon says, panic evident in his voice. "We have to go now."

"Son, you need to calm down." Book says calmly.

"No, you don't understand, we have to leave now." Simon practically screeches. "JAYNE!"

"Simon, what's wrong?" Kaylee asks, starting to get worried.

Simon doesn't answer, just continues to wave River and Jayne towards them.

"Sir, what's going on?" Zoe questions, her and Wash running out of the boat.

"Got no clue." Mal answer. "Doc's lost it though."

"What the gorram hell is goin' on?" Jayne says as him and River run up to the ship.

"We have to go." Simon replies. "We have to go now."

"Too late." River whispers before turning around. "Hello, Alfred."

The crew follows River's gaze to see an older man dressed in a crisp, black suit. Jayne grabs River and pulls her against his side.

"Mistress River." Alfred says, nodding to her. "Master Simon."

"Hello, Alfred." Simon replies with a sigh. "I assume mother and father are right behind you."

"Yes." Alfred says.

"I wanna know what the gorram hell is goin' on." Mal yells.

"Mal, I'd like you to meet our mother's personal assistant, Alfred." Simon replies. "Alfred, this is captain Reynolds."

"Mr. Reynolds." Alfred says, bowing slightly.

"Simon, what are you wearing?" Gabriel Tam says as he moves to stand beside his wife's assistant.

"Hello, father." Simon replies.

Mal glances around and sees they're starting to draw a crowd. "I think it's time we took this little meetin' inside." Mal orders. "Wash, tell Nara to get back here; we might have to leave early."

"Can do." Wash replies as he runs back into the boat.

"Who are you?" Gabriel sneers.

Mal pulls out his gun and waves it towards the ship. "I believe I done said get inside." Mal replies. "It weren't a request."

"Son, who are these people?" Gabriel asks.

Simon doesn't answer instead he starts walking into the ship.

"Hello, father." River says. "Mother."

"River, what are you doing here?" Gabriel asks.

River just leans against Jayne and lets him lead her into the ship.

"Gabriel, maybe we should just follow them." Regan Tam suggests.

Gabriel sighs and motions for Alfred to follow the disappearing crew into the ship. "I really do not have the time for this." Gabriel says, glancing down at his watch. "The meeting starts in 30 minutes."

Mal waits until the Tam's walk through the bay door before slamming his hand onto the button to close the doors. "Now, I wanna know what the gorram hell is goin' on." Mal says as he faces his crew. "These are your parents?"

"Yes." Simon answers.

Gabriel looks around the room before focusing on his daughter, who is sitting on the lap of some large man. "River, what are you doing?" Gabriel questions, his voice not changing. "Who is he?"

"That's Jayne." Simon answers, with a grin. "Her lover."

Gabriel's jaw drops and his face turns completely white. He tries to say something but nothing comes out of his mouth but an undignified squeak.

"Her what?" Regan asks.

"Lover." Mal repeats.

"You…" Gabriel stammers out at his daughter. "And him…."

"Are having sex." River finishes for her father. "Yes."

Gabriel turns to his son. "You let her sleep with him?" Gabriel yells. "It's bad enough that you took her out of her school but now your prostituting her so that you can remain fugitives?"

The audible sound of two guns cocking is his reply.

"I don't take to hearin' folk talk like that to my crew." Mal says, his gun pointing at Gabriel. "And I know Jayne ain't likin' hearin' you talk bout his girl that way."

"Damn straight." Jayne agrees, his gun pointed towards his girl's father.

"Jayne, it's okay." River says, placing her hand on his arm to point the gun down. "Captain daddy, it's okay."

"Captain daddy?" Gabriel yells.

"Yep." Mal replies. "See, she's like my kid regardless of blood and I don't take kind to hearin' people talk bout her that way."

"She's my daughter." Gabriel sneers. "Not yours."

"Please." Simon laughs. "She's your daughter when it suits you otherwise she was just an object."

"You're out of line." Gabriel says.

"You left her there." Simon replies. "And would have left her there forever regardless of what they were doing to her. And when I tried to get her out and got caught, you disowned me."

"She was fine." Gabriel yells.

"No she wasn't." Simon yells back. "You have no idea what they did to her; hell I have no idea what they did to her. But I do know I sit with her while she cried herself to sleep, while she was so scared that her entire body shook with it, when Mal and Jayne would have to hold her down just so I could sedate her. You didn't want to know; you just wanted your perfect life with your perfect children."

"I can't do this now." Gabriel says, glancing down at his watch. "I have a meeting to attend."

Simon laughs humorlessly. "Yes, you can't miss one gorram meeting."

"I don't know what happened to you and as of right now, I'm not sure that I want to know." Gabriel says to his son before turning to face his daughter. "River, get your things; I've been in contact with the academy and they still want you back."

"That ain't gonna happen." Mal says angrily.

"What are you going to do, shot me in cold blood?" Gabriel replies.

"Might." Mal replies. "But I know Jayne will."

"Yep." Jayne agrees.

"See, Jayne here kills people for a living." Mal explains. "A mercenary is the technical name. It won't faze him to shot all three of you and I won't stop him."

Gabriel swallows heavily. "You would never get away with it. This isn't some backwater moon. They will find our bodies…"

"Actually they wouldn't." Simon replies. "Do you have any idea what happens to a body if it's dropped out of a boat as it breaks atmo? There would be nothing left to find."

"You would let them kill us?" Gabriel asks in shock.

"To keep River safe, yes." Simon answers.

"I can't believe…what happened to you?" Gabriel stammers.

"Gabriel, you're going to be late." Regan tell her husband.

"Yes." Gabriel agrees, glancing at his watch. "We'll just have to let the feds handle this."

"No." Regan argues. "Don't you remember what happened when they were declared fugitives? The gossip and the reporters that we had to endure. Do you really want to go through that again? Or endanger your merger by everyone finding out that your fugitive children are in town?"

"You're right." Gabriel agrees.

"If you leave now, you can still make it before the meeting starts." Regan says. "Alfred and I will stay here and deal with this problem."

"Alright." Gabriel bends down to kiss her cheek, looks at his children once more, and starts for the door.

"You can let him out, captain daddy." River tells Mal. "He would never risk a merging going bad."

Mal pulls open the door and gestures for Gabriel to walk through. He follows the man out and watches as he walks towards the dock attendant to get a taxi. Mal waits until the taxi drives away before moving back into his ship.

"Is he gone?" Regan questions.

"Yep." Mal replies. "Took first taxi that came and didn't look back."

"Mother, I don't know what you're planning on doing but I will not allow you to endanger River in anyway." Simon says angrily. "Mother, are you even listening to me?"

Regan can hear her son taking but can't comprehend what he is saying. Her feet move on their own accord and in a few seconds, she finds herself standing less than a foot from her daughter.

Jayne tightens his hold on River's waist, his gun still held tightly in his hand. He studies his girl's ma and sees where she gets most of her looks. When he sees tears fill the woman's eyes, he glances down at River to see shock in her eyes.

Regan looks at her daughter and can fee the tears starting to run down her face. And without even knowing that she's going to, she finds herself wrapping her arms around her daughter. "My baby girl." Regan whispers as she squeezes River tightly.

"Doc, you wanna explain this?" Mal asks, waving his arm to the older woman hugging River.

"I'm not sure." Simon replies, never having seen his mother act like this.

River can feel her mother's tears hitting her face and feel her fingers digging into her back. Jayne's hands are still wrapped around her waist and it makes her feel like the inside of a sandwich. "Jayne." River whispers. "It's too much and she feels smothered."

"It's alright, baby." Jayne says soothingly as he pulls her closer to him and away from her mother. "Ya need to back up some; you're makin' her uncomfortable."

Regan removes her hands and straightens up to stare down at her daughter. "My beautiful baby girl." Regan cries. "What did they do to you?"

River slides her hands under the bottom of Jayne's shirt, grounding herself with his skin. She does not understand what her mother is feeling but she knows it is real. Burying her face in Jayne's chest and digging her nails into the bare skin of his back, River burrows as far into Jayne as she can get.

Jayne keeps one hand wrapped around River's waist while the other cups her ass to keep her against him. "It's alright, darlin'." Jayne whispers into River's ear. "I'm right here."

"Pain." River whispers. "So much pain and fear and relief and happiness and grief and she can't push it out."

Jayne kisses River gently, not knowing what else to do. His hand starts rub up and down her back in a calming gesture.

River's hands move up Jayne's chest as she loses herself into his mouth. Everything that she was feeling from her mother has disappeared and all she can feel is Jayne.

Regan stares at her daughter kissing the large man under her and turns to look at her son.

"You get used to it." Simon tells his mother, wincing when he catches a glimpse of Jayne's hand moving under River skirt. "Or at least I'm hoping we will."

"Gorramit, Jayne, I done said keep your hands outa her clothes when we're in the room." Mal yells.

River breaks the kiss and leans her forehead against Jayne's. "Thank you."

"For what?" Jayne replies.

"Making everything disappear but you and me." River says.

"Now that sounds like a plan." Jayne drawls as stands up. "We'll be in my bunk."

"We can't." River says sadly, her hand gently patting Jayne's face. "The time is not right."

"Course its the right time." Jayne argues, his hands adjusting against her bare legs.

"Down." River orders.

Jayne puts her down with a sigh.

River pushes on Jayne's chest until he sits back down on the crate and then crawls back onto his lap to lean against his chest.

Simon watches his mother, expecting to see disgust or at least shock cross her face. He's completely confused when his mother smiles at River and Jayne fondly. "Mother, what's going on?" Simon asks.

Regan turns to face her son and instead of answering, hugs him tightly. She draws back after a few moments to examine her son. "You're looking so much healthier." Regan comments. "I'm hoping you are working less."

Simon's jaw drops open as he stares at his mother. "Working less?" Simon gasps. "You want me to work less?"

"It's for your own health." Regan replies. "You're going to work yourself into an early grave if you don't slow down."

"I think I've gone mad." Simon mutters.

"I'm confused." Mal says. "Cause I was under the impression your parents didn't give a flyin' go'se bout you two."

"So was I." Simon agrees.

Regan smiles sadly at her son. "You saw what you were meant to see."

"Does the crazy thing run in the family?" Mal asks Simon. "Cause that just sounded like somethin' your sister woulda said."

"I don't know." Simon replies. "I have no idea what is going on here."

"Sir?" Zoe says.

"Got no clue." Mal replies. "I'm still stuck on her huggin' Simon and River."

"I'm still stuck on Mr. Tam saying he was going to turn back to the academy." Wash comments. "Would he really do that?"

"If he didn't think the backlash would effect his business, yes he would have." Regan replies.

Mal starts to say something when he hears a shuttle door open. He looks up to the walks to see Inara walking quickly onto the walks and down the stairs to the bay.

"What's going on?" Inara questions quickly. "Are we in trouble?"

"Celeste?" Regan whispers.

Inara turns around to see an older, beautiful woman staring at her. "I think you have me confused with my mother." Inara says, trying to place the woman.

"Inara." Regan says softly.

"Do I know you?" Inara asks, still not able to place her.

"Inara, this is my mother." Simon explains. "Mother this is…I guess you know who she is. How is that, by the way?"

"Mrs. Tam, maybe we should leave." Alfred suggests, moving behind his employer to place a supporting hand on her back. "You don't need to go through this."

"It's okay." Regan assures Alfred. "They need to know."

Alfred tenses. "Very well."

Regan looks back at Inara, her eyes examining every inch of the beautiful woman in front of her. "You look so much like your mother." Regan says, her hand reaching out to brush Inara's cheek. "So very beautiful; so very much like your mother."

"Thank you." Inara replies, starting to feel a little anxious.

"Except for your eyes." Regan continues as though she didn't hear Inara. "They're your fathers."

The bay goes completely quiet as everyone stares at Inara and Regan.

"You knew my father?" Inara whispers.

"No." Regan replies. "I know your father."

"That's impossible." Inara says. "My father is dead. My mother said he died before I was born."

"She just wishes he was dead." Regan replies. "But he is very much alive."

"How do you know that?" Inara asks, her voice starting to crack with emotion.

Regan smiles sadly at Inara. "Because I'm married to him."

-


	9. Place in life

Title: Place in life

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: PG-13

FYI: Well, here's the next part. It takes place directly after the last part, right after Regan told Inara that she was married to her father. I'm debating with writing a couple of peaks into the past at how everything came to be, (That will probably be better understood once this part is read.) but probably not unless it's wanted.

-

The bay is completely silent as everyone looks between Regan and Inara. The companion's hand is covering her mouth as she stares at the woman in front her.

Inara stares at Simon and River's mother, completely unable to comprehend what she just said.

"Mother, you can't mean…" Simon stammers, completely blown by what his mother just said.

Regan looks towards her son and opens her mouth to respond when River suddenly jumps off Jayne's lap and moves across the room to her brother.

River reaches up and starts unbuttoning the brightly colored shirt her brother is wearing. "Simon, you must cooperate." River says, stopping to smack his hand when he tries to stop her.

"Mei-mei, what are you doing?" Simon squeaks.

"You must take it off." River replies, spinning him around to pull the shirt off his back. River stares down at the shirt in her hand and then back at her brother. "You need to spend more time under the suns."

"Baby, what in the seven hells are you doin'?" Jayne questions.

River barely gives Jayne's glance before walking away from her brother and over to Wash and Zoe.

Wash glances down at River, a little worried about what Jayne will do to him if she tries to take off his shirt. He's a little startled when River thrusts his favorite shirt at him.

"Put this on." River instructs, pushing the shirt against Wash's chest. She walks the three feet over to Jayne's weight bench and picks up the hat Simon had on earlier. "And this too." River hands the hat to Wash and walks back to Jayne.

"Baby, whadda doin'?" Jayne asks, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. River pecks him lightly on the lips and grabs the knife strapped to his leg.

Spinning away from Jayne, River walks over to Inara and before any body can stop her, grabs the bottom the companion's blue dress and cuts it off.

"What the gorram hell are you doin'?" Mal yells.

River ignores him and steps back to examine Inara. "It will have to do." Then she walks away from the companion, grabs her brother's hand, and drags him out of the bay.

Mal starts to follow River when the door buzzes. Walking over to the door, he glances out it to see two federal agents standing outside his boat, a middle-aged man beside them. "Wash, put that hat on and move next to Kaylee." Mal orders, now understanding what the genius was up to. "Nara, stand by Jayne."

Mal waits until his orders are followed before lowering his bay door.

"That's her." The middle-aged man standing between the feds says. "That's the woman he kidnapped."

Mal looks at the man and then at Regan, the person he's pointing at. "I did what?"

"Kidnapped her." He repeats. "I saw you force her in here at gunpoint."

Regan steps forward gracefully. "I think there's been a misunderstanding." Regan says, smiling at the three men.

"Did he force you in here madam?" A federal agent asks.

"Well, yes, he did." Regan replies. "But it was a misunderstanding."

"Look, I was standing out by my boat when them two come runnin' up." The man says, pointing to Jayne and Inara. "And he was yellin' and wavin' his hands all over the place." His hand gestures to Wash and then to Alfred. "Then he came up, followed closely by her and some fancy lookin' guy that ain't here." Lastly, he points to Mal. "Then he pulled out a gun and forced them all inside."

"Yelling what?" The second fed questions.

"Well, now, I don't actually know." The man answers. "They was too far away and it was gettin' dark out. I could just make em out."

"Madam, if he's forcing you to stay in here, you just have to say something." The first fed tells Regan. "We can help you."

"That's very gracious of you but as I said before, it was just a misunderstanding." Regan says.

"We'll have to decide that for ourselves." The fed replies.

Mal steps forward angrily and is stopped when Regan places a hand on his arm. "It's okay, captain." Regan says. "My husband and I are in town for business and as we were getting off our private transport, I caught sight of Miss Serra. Her mother and I were friends before she was born and I mistakenly took her for her mother. My husband has never approved of her line of work and made that quite known. Captain Reynolds took offense to what my husband said and that's why the gun was brought into the situation."

"And your husband?"

"As I said, he has business in the area." Regan answers the feds question. "He is in a meeting right now, with your boss I expect."

Mal manages to keep his jaw from dropping open but just barely.

Alfred steps forward and hands one of the feds an ID card.

"My apologies, Mrs. Tam." The fed says after reading the screen held in his hand. "We're sorry if we caused you any distress or inconvenience."

Alfred takes back the card the fed hands him and steps back to stand behind Regan.

"It's quite alright." Regan says, smiling slightly at the agents and then man beside them. "You were just doing your jobs. It makes me feel so much safer knowing there are men like you, men prepared to do what they need to in order to ensure the safety of those unable to do it themselves."

"Thank you, Mrs. Tam." Both feds say.

Regan then turns and smiles at the man that came with the feds. "And people like you who aren't afraid to speak up when they see something wrong."

"Just tryin' to do my duty as a good citizen." He replies, growing slightly pink in the cheeks.

"Again, we're sorry for any trouble we may have caused you." The fed says as he motions for his partner to escort the man out of the boat.

"As I said before, it's quite alright." Regan replies.

Mal follows the feds to the door and shuts it once they're gone. He watches as the man returns to his boat and while the feds make their way out of docks.

Mal turns to face Regan and can't help the smile that floats across his face. "Damn, I ain't seen feds played like that in a good, long while." Mal comments. "It's too gorram bad your son didn't inherit your acting abilities."

"Simon never has been a good liar." Regan replies with a small smile.

"Shouldn't we be leaving?" Wash asks, taking off his hat.

"We leave, they'll know somethin' is up." Mal replies. "Paid to stay the night and we're stayin' the night."

"Oh." Wash mutters.

"Now, I'm just a bit confused bout somthin'." Mal says. "Your kids are known fugitives and yet they was walkin' all over themselves to apologize to you."

"My husband is highly connected to Alliance Defense." Regan replies. "And after Simon and River were declared fugitives, he did everything he could to help them be found, including turning over all of Simon's property and accounts. There may have been rumors and an investigation, but Gabriel Tam is still very respected and trusted by the Alliance."

"What's to stop him from just turnin' them in now?" Mal asks.

"The meeting he is attending right now is the last in a series of talks about merging a subsidiary company of Gabriel's with a private security firm located here." Regan answers. "The owner is antsy, to say the least, and any scandal will stop the merger."

"Oh." Mal replies.

Jayne grabs the bags of stuff him and River picked up and starts out of the bay.

"I'm guessin' he's goin' to find River." Mal says as he starts to follow his merc.

"What's going on?" Simon questions, looking between his sister and Mal. "River wouldn't let me leave."

"Some guy saw me hold a gun on your parents." Mal replies. "Some feds came by just to make sure I didn't kidnap her or nothin'."

"Feds?" Simon gasps. "We have to go. We have to go now."

"Don't start that again." Mal mutters. "We go and they'll know somethin's up. Your ma was able to convince em that it was all just a misunderstandin' and they left."

"So we're just going to stay?" Simon asks.

"Yep." Mal answers. "Now, I believe I'm a bit confused bout Simon and River's sishengzi of a father bein' Nara's father. Somebody wanna explain this?"

-

The mess is quiet even though the entire table is full. River is sitting on Jayne's lap and Zoe is sitting in front of Wash while the remaining people fill the remaining chairs. Nobody is talking and nobody has since they gathered in here 10 minutes ago.

"So, River." Kaylee says, uncomfortable with the silence. "Whadda buy?"

"Clothes." River answers. "A book to keep pictures in, some cigars, whiskey, ammo, and Wilbur."

"Wilbur?" Mal repeats. "Who the gorram hell is Wilbur? Jayne, you know I don't allow animals on my boat."

"There were cows." River says.

"Alright, I don't allow animals unless we're smugglin' em." Mal corrects. "What the hell is Wilbur?"

River moves off Jayne's lap and into the corner of the mess to sort through the bags Jayne sat down. She digs through them for a moment before finding what she's looking for and bringing back to the table. "This is Wilbur." River says, holding the object up.

"A gun?" Mal yells, looking at Jayne. "You bought her a ruttin' gun?"

"Actually, she bought it herself." Jayne replies. "With the money you gave her."

"That was supposed to be for clothes." Mal says.

"You really think I'm gonna let her put on underwear that you bought?" Jayne growls. "There weren't no way in hell I was gonna let that happen."

"Jayne bought my under things." River says as she settles back into Jayne's lap and holds her gun up to admire it. "I like him."

"I got all the ammo and it'll stay with my girl's stuff." Jayne replies. "Hell, Mal, it ain't like she don't know how to use it."

"Why Wilbur?" Wash asks.

"He just seems like a Wilbur." River answers, setting the gun on the table in front of her.

Mal sighs and looks intently at Jayne. "Fine, but Wilbur is stayin' with your guns and she don't use it unless I say so."

River cocks her head to look at Mal. "She is sitting right here, captain daddy." River says. "And she won't use Wilbur unless she has to."

"You ain't gonna have a reason to use him." Mal replies.

"Are you done committing crime?" River asks.

"No." Mal answers.

"Then there could always be a reason." River replies.

"You ain't gonna be shootin' nobody." Jayne growls down at River, his arms tightenin' around her.

"Then I should let them shoot me?" River questions, tilting her head back to look at him.

"No." Jayne replies. "Course not."

"Fine then, little witch, you can use Wilbur if someone's tryin' to hurt ya." Mal agrees.

"Thank you, captain daddy." River beams.

Mal can't help but smile back. "Don't know why I even bother arguin' with you." Mal mutters. "You always end up gettin' your way."

Regan looks between her daughter and her daughter's 'captain daddy', glad that she has somebody trying to be a father.

"Mother, I believe there's something you need to tell us." Simon says, growing tired of waiting.

"It's a long story." Regan replies. "And one I fear I will need a drink to tell."

"I can make some tea." Inara volunteers, finally finding something she is able to focus on.

"That's very sweet." Regan says. "But I need something a little stronger than tea. Jayne, may I have a glass of the whiskey you purchased?"

"Yeah." Jayne replies. "It's in one of them bags, I'll grab it. Let me up, baby."

River stands up and Jayne moves out from under her to walk across the room. He picks up the heaviest bag and withdraws a bottle of cheap whiskey. "Probably ain't what you're used to." Jayne says as he sets the bottle on the table. "But it'll give ya a good burn."

"I'll get ya a glass." Kaylee says, jumping up and running across the room before anybody can stop her. She sets the glass on the table in front of Regan with a smile before sitting back down in her own chair.

Regan takes the bottle and pours a healthy doze in the glass. She puts the lid back on the bottle and slides it back to Jayne before taking a deep drink out of it. "I don't know what Simon has told you, about me or his father."

"Just that your husband is a piece of gose and you two was engaged when you was 12." Mal says.

"Yes." Regan agrees. "My father was contacted by Gabriel's father when I was 12 about our families combining once I was of legal age. My father accepted and I was told that we were to be married. I was a child and I didn't really understand what it meant so it didn't really change anything about how I acted. I was a lot like River was as a child; too curious for my own good and extremely stubborn. High-strung is the politest way I've ever heard it referred to. So by the time I was a little over 15 years old, I was uncontrollable. My father set me down a week before my 16th birthday and fully explained what would happen when I turned 18. He had decided that I wasn't ready for marriage and that I would need professional help in order to become ready. I was to go live at a companion training house."

"He wanted to ya to be a companion?" Mal cuts in.

"No, not a companion." Regan replies. "He wanted me to learn from companions."

"It's a very rare but does sometimes happen." Inara comments. "Some parents, if they are able to afford it, will send their daughters to a training house in order for them to learn what will be expected of them. They attended classes and things with those training to actually become a companion."

"On my 16th birthday, I was sent to the training house on Sihnon where I was to be turned into the perfect society wife." Regan continues. "I loved it there. Most companions are the most understanding and free-willed people that I've ever met. They don't ridicule or judge people. I spent the next 6 months learning about different things from art to science to dance to religion. But the things I was there to learn, the things dealing with what my husband will expect of me, I balked at. My father got impatient with my progress, there was a large amount of money riding on my marriage, and inquired about a stricter learning environment. He had to pay a great deal of money but eventually he was able to buy my way into an apprenticeship, much like that of what a companion trainee would have."

"Which is?" Mal questions.

"After a companion graduates, she or he stays with a registered companion to observe conduct and such." Inara answers. "They don't observe the actual acts, just the parts leading up to it. They must do that for a month before they are able to register themselves."

"Okay, so's you was paired up with a companion so you could learn to be a wife?" Mal says slowly, as though it's the dumbest thing he's heard.

"Yes." Regan replies. "I was sent to stay with a young but very promising companion by the name of Celeste Serra."

"My mother." Inara says.

"Yes, your mother." Regan agrees. "She was living on a luxury liner at the time and I was moved into the room next to hers. It was…daunting at first. I had grown up with money but lived a very sheltered life. But now I was on a ship where the passengers changed every week, where I was treated as an adult instead of a child, and where I was in the company of a beautiful and fascinating woman."

Regan looks down at the glass in her hand. "I fell in love with her quickly, overnight I think." Regan whispers.

"Didn't see that one coming." Wash comments when the room goes silent again.

"Cel, she was a very focused woman, even when she was only 24." Regan continues. "She understood her job and what it entailed. And she understood what the punishment was for breaking any rules. She knew I was in love with her but she also knew what the consequences would be if anything were to happen between us."

"Which are?" Mal questions.

"Jail." Inara answers. "There are certain lines that must never be crossed and developing emotional or physical ties to a student is one of them. She would have had her license stripped and been placed on a penal moon for years if not decades."

"Seems kinda harsh." Wash comments.

"The guild is very strict with its customs and rules." Inara replies.

"Yes, the guild is very stubborn in its beliefs." Regan agrees. "We continued on as student and teacher for a few months and she taught me most everything I would need to know to be a proper wife." Regan looks down at her glass again, the retelling of her life starting to take its toll. "We made love for the first time two months before my 17th birthday. Cel stopped taking clients and I, except for on paper, moved into her room. To the outside world nothing had changed, we were still student and teacher. We still attended parties, she still flirted and charmed the men there, and she still paid rent. Cel was always very private with her affairs so it wasn't surprising when nobody noticed that she wasn't taking clients.

"The next three months went by in a blur and the more time that passed, the more I fell in love with her." Regan continues. "But it also made me realize what was to happen in less than a year. I didn't want to be married, not anymore and I couldn't imagine my life without Cel. Naively, I assumed my father would care more about my happiness than his wallet. I was wrong. I waved him and told him that I no longer wanted to be married, that I was in love and wanted to be with her. He didn't even respond, just cut off the connection. When he didn't wave back, I assumed he just needed time to deal with everything. I was wrong again.

"A week later, Cel told me she had an appointment, one she couldn't break." Regan voice cracks a little but she manages to continue. "I knew what she meant by appointment and was hurt and angry. We fought for the first time and I stormed off. A few hours later, a man in his early thirties found me sulking next to the swimming pool and told me to come with him. I assumed he was taking me to my old room and was a little shocked when he took me to the room I'd been sharing with Cel."

"You just went some man you'd never met?" Zoe speaks up for the first time.

"I had met him." Regan replies. "I knew him since I was 10; he was an employee of my father's."

"Who?" Simon asks.

"Me." Alfred replies.

"You?" Simon says. "Did grandfather send you to bring mother home?"

"You're getting ahead of the story, Simon." River tells her brother. "All will be told in time."

"You know?" Simon questions River.

"I didn't before but everything is flowing out now and I can't help but see." River replies.

"See?" Regan questions.

"River's a seer." Kaylee says, waving her hand. "Can ya finish the story now, you went into Nara's ma's room and…"

Regan looks at her daughter for a second and swallows heavily before speaking. "Alfred took me into Cel's room and the first thing I saw was a handsome, rich man buttoning his shirt. The second thing was my lover lying huddled under the blankets of the bed we shared for the past 3 months. Then the man held out his hand and introduced himself as Gabriel Tam."

"Father?" Simon gasps. "Did he…"

"He didn't force her." Regan interrupts. "She was very clear about that. It was about power; he was showing both of us that he had all the power and he was right. With one call, he could ruin her entire life. Then he went on to say that he had too much riding on our future marriage and that he refused to let it be ruined because of a whore. Then he told us both to pack our things; he had contacted the guild and wanted his future wife to get a more intense education. We were taken off the liner, on a private transport, and taken to Hera where he owned a private, floating island. He told me that we would be getting married and our engagement party would be a week before he turned 30. He said I had until then to get over my fascination with Cel. He left Alfred with us to ensure that we didn't try to run and then he was gone. Alfred left us alone and there was nobody else on the island. It was just the two of us; the months that followed were the happiest of my life. About 4 months into our time there, Cel discovered she was pregnant. She hadn't been devoted in her use of birth control after she stopped taking clients and all it takes is one time. After the shock, we were ecstatic."

Regan turns to look directly at Inara. "It may have been his seed that made you but you were my child." Regan says firmly. "I talked to you inside her belly every night. I took care of your mother; made sure she was happy, sated, safe, and loved. I was the first person to hold you after you were born and I named you. You were my child. Three months after you were born, it was time for me to return to the life laid out for me. I didn't want to go; it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do but it wasn't only my life. If I tried to run and Alfred didn't stop me, I don't even want to think what Gabriel would have done to him. And if we had ever been caught, Cel would have been placed on a penal moon and Inara would have been put in an orphanage. I wouldn't let that happen."

"It was raining." River whispers. "And the rain felt cold sliding down your cheeks along with your tears as you kissed goodbye."

Regan's hand clenches around her glass as she composes herself. "Yes." Regan agrees quietly. "It was raining. I returned home and within a month was Mrs. Gabriel Tam. Simon was born a year later and River a little over 6 years later. I worked hard at being the perfect wife and the perfect mother, not over emotional but not cut off; completely balanced. It was hard, very hard to pretend but I was and am willing to do anything to keep my children safe. A few months after River's 13th birthday, Gabriel said that he had been contacted by various families about River and that it was time for her to learn her place in life. He wanted to send her to the guild to learn what was expected of her. I didn't want my daughter to end up like me; stuck in a marriage that she never wanted with a man she barely tolerates so I searched for alternatives. I found the academy and contacted them about River and then told them they would have to approach Gabriel as though they had never heard from me. It took me a few weeks but I was able to convince Gabriel that the Guild would not offer the kind of rigid structure that River needed. He finally agreed with me and when she was 14, we sent her to the academy. My hope was that by the time she graduated, she would be independent and strong enough not to fold under her father's thumb as I did mine.

"After a year or so, I received a letter from River." Regan continues. "I knew within two lines that something was wrong. The letter wasn't written by my brilliant daughter, it was written by a terrified and tortured girl who just wanted out. But I also knew any outward move by me would be immediately stopped by Gabriel; he had sent her there and she would remain there, everything else be damned. So I did something I told myself I would never do; I contacted Cel. Well, actually, Alfred contacted Cel on my behalf. I knew if anybody had the contacts to find out what was going on, Cel would. She didn't hesitate for a second to help; just asked whom she should contact with whatever she found out. I instructed Alfred to have her contact Simon with any information, as I knew he would never stop looking for River. After a few weeks, she found a group of people already investigating the Alliance and put the in contact with Simon. When the feds came to our home to tell us our children were fugitives wanted for crimes against the Alliance, I was beyond relieved. My children were safe and they were together; I knew Simon would do anything to keep River safe and vice versa."

Simon stares at his mother in shock; he still remembers the indifference she showed when he first became concerned about the academy hurting River.

"I wanted my daughter to be able to fall in love and be loved in return." Regan says, looking at River and Jayne. "And it's wonderful to see that it happened although, isn't he just a little….large?"

"He fits perfectly." River replies with a smile.

"Oh, little witch, I didn't wanna know that." Mal groans. "And Jayne, wipe that smirk off your face 'fore I do."

Jayne just rubs his hand on River's belly and smirks at Mal. "You know you ain't gonna do nothin' with River on my lap." Jayne drawls.

Mal glares at Jayne.

Regan can't help but smile at the happy look on her daughter's face. Jayne is nothing like what Gabriel would have picked out for River and she's glad. Any man that Gabriel would have picked out would have treated River like an object. And while Jayne may seem very possessive of River, she doubts that the captain would tolerate him mistreating her. Her gaze moves across the table to her son and the girl sitting next to him. Her boy is in love and judging by the looks she's sending him, the feeling is returned. She just hopes her son's penchant for behaving as proper as he can doesn't make him loose her before he ever gets her.

"I'm sorry, I don't know your name." Regan says to the girl next to Simon.

"Oh, I'm Kaylee." Kaylee tells Simon's mother cheerfully. "I'm the mechanic. And that guy in the shirt Simon was wearin' earlier is Wash, he's the pilot and the woman on his lap is his wife Zoe, she's the second-in-command."

"And you commit crime?" Regan asks.

"Yes." Simon replies.

"Hey, now." Mal protests. "Not all our work is illegal."

"Just most of it." Wash adds.

"I'm assuming it's very dangerous." Regan comments.

"Can be." Mal replies. "But for the most part, only me, Jayne, and Zoe are the ones bein' fired at."

"For the most part." Simon mutters. "I recall being shot in the leg."

"That didn't have nothin' to do with any of my jobs." Mal replies. "If you recall, it was a bounty hunter comin' to get you and River."

"True." Simon agrees. "What about Kaylee, Wash, and Book. The only ones who haven't been shot are River and Inara."

"Fed after you, dead guy who weren't so dead but it didn't have nothin' to do with a job and okay, Book did get shot cause of a job." Mal replies. "I try to keep you'll as safe as I can and given the circumstances, I think I do a damn good job."

"You do, captain daddy." River assures him. "Simon is just being picky."

"Brat." Simon mutters.

River sticks her tongue out at her brother.

Regan was able to keep herself from crying during her entire story but to see her children so happy and carefree, she can't help the tears that slip down her face.

"Regan, it's time." Alfred says quietly.

"I know." Regan replies, wiping tears off her face. "We have to go."

"What?" Simon says. "Why? Where?"

"Your father's meeting is almost over." Regan replies.

"You're just going to go back to him?" Simon questions in shock.

"I have to." Regan says. "If I am not back before him, he will know something is wrong and will contact the Alliance."

"You really mean to go back to that bun tien-shung de ee-duai-ro?" Mal cuts in.

"Yes." Regan replies as she stands up. "I will not allow anything to happen to my children."

Simon stands up and steps in front of his mother. "You don't have to go back." Simon says. "There has to be something we can do…"

"Shh." Regan whispers, pressing her finger against his lips. "It's okay Simon. River's safe and so are you; that's all that matters." She hugs him tightly and kisses his forehead. "I'm sorry I wasn't the type of mother you deserved but I need you to know I love you; everything I've ever done is about keeping you and River safe."

"I know." Simon assures her, kissing her forehead. "I love you too."

Regan turns around to see her daughter standing behind her. "My baby girl." Regan says quietly. "My beautiful baby girl."

River hugs her mother tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby." Regan says, kissing her forehead.

Inara walks quietly over to Regan, her brain still trying to sort through everything they were told.

"You are so beautiful." Regan says, her hand gently pushing a lock of hair behind Inara's ear. "I've thought about you every day of my life; wondered what you looked like, what you were doing, and if you were happy."

Inara doesn't know what to say so she just hugs Regan briefly before stepping back.

Regan looks at her children standing in front of her and smiles reassuringly at them. "Your father may not be the best man in the verse or a good father but I don't want any of you to ever think that you aren't loved." Regan says. "I have never regretted having you, River and Simon and I know Cel has never regretted having you, Inara. I just wanted you to know that. Captain Reynolds, will you and Jayne walk us to the door, please?"

"Yeah." Mal replies, motioning for Zoe and Jayne to follow him. "But you can call me Mal."

Regan waits until they're by the door before turning to look at them. "I'm going to a spa on Beaumonde next month." Regan says. "It's called Flowers and I will be there for two weeks. If you are anywhere close to there, I would like to see my children again."

"He gonna be there?" Mal asks.

"No." Regan replies. "He will be very busy with the merger by that time and even if he weren't, he never goes with me to spas; he just sends Alfred."

"Know a couple guys there that we get jobs from." Mal says. "We can be there."

"Thank you." Regan says gratefully. "Keep them safe."

"We will." Mal replies.

"Keep her happy." Regan tells Jayne.

"I'm tryin'." Jayne says.

"It's working." Regan assures him. She then follows Alfred through the opening door, looking back at the ship once.

"That was..interesting." Mal comments as he shuts the door behind them. "Now we gotta deal with the backlash."

Jayne nods his agreement as he follows Mal and Zoe back to the mess. The moment he steps through the doorway, he finds himself with a 90 lb genius wrapped around his body, her body shakin' with sobs. Jayne sits down heavily in his chair and River curls into his lap, her face pressed against his chest.

Mal looks around the table and drops down into his seat with a sigh. River is curled in a ball on Jayne's lap as he tries to calm her. The doc is sittin' beside Kaylee with a dazed and hopeless look on his face. And Inara, well, he ain't never seen her look so wounded, so lost. Book is sittin' beside her, tryin' to give her some type of comfort.

Mal reaches across to grab the bottle of whiskey Jayne left sittin' on the table and takes a huge drink. He was ruttin' right; there's a backlash and he's got no idea how to deal with it.

-


	10. Overprotective

Title: Overprotective

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: R

-

"Come in."

"See, I can knock." Mal says to Inara as he walks into her shuttle.

"Okay." Inara replies. She walks over to the small table in front of her couch and starts to pour the tea already sitting there. "Would you like some tea?"

Mal notices the way her hand shakes and reaches out to take the pot from her. "Nara, I don't think you should be doin' that." Mal says. "I don't want any tea but if you want some I can fix it for ya."

"I'm fine." Inara folds her hands into her lap and looks up at Mal, her face a complete blank mask.

"Fine, huh?" Mal repeats. "Then you wanna explain why you ain't been outa your shuttle in almost 15 hours?"

"That's none of your business." Inara replies curtly.

"That's where you're wrong." Mal argues. "It happens on my boat and it's my ruttin' business."

"Then maybe I won't stay on your boat." Inara replies.

"Never took you as one to run from your problems." Mal comments. "Thought you was better than that."

"Maybe I'm not." Inara says. "Maybe I'm more like my….Gabriel Tam than…"

"That's what this is about?" Mal interrupts. "You think you're like that piece of go-se?"

"Aren't I?" Inara whispers.

Mal laughs. "Nara, you ain't nothin' like him, I guarantee that and I only met the man for 20 minutes. He don't care bout nothin' but money and himself, you ain't nothin' like that."

Inara looks down at her hands, the mask gone and her face looking more miserable than he's ever seen it. "I always wondered what my father was like." Inara says quietly. "My mother never told me anything except that he was dead. I always assumed because it was too hard for her to talk about but now I know that's not it. She hated him and for good reasons. I can't help but think that maybe that hate has fallen down to me."

"I don't know your ma so I don't know how she feels but I can't see anybody hatin' you." Mal replies.

"I don't know, Mal." Inara whispers. "I don't know. My mother is nothing like the woman Regina described. And I can't help but think that when she looks at me, all she's seeing is Gabriel."

Mal wraps an arm around Inara's shoulders and is a little startled when she throws her arms around his neck and buries her face in his chest. His hand rubs up and down her back as she sobs against his chest.

"I can't face them, Mal." Inara cries.

"Them who?" Mal questions, slightly confused.

"River and Simon." Inara explains. "I can't look at them and…"

"Nara, River and Simon ain't gonna hate you or look at you like you're evil or somethin'." Mal cuts in.

"I'm scared." Inara whispers. "Scared that they're not going to want anything to do with me outside of being on the same boat."

"I don't see that happenin'." Mal comments. "Hell, look how overprotective Simon is of River. I'm thinkin' he's gonna be the same gorram way with you."

"But you don't know that." Inara replies.

"No, I don't." Mal agrees. "And you ain't ever gonna find out till you come outa this shuttle." Against his better judgment, he drops a kiss on her forehead as he stands up. "It's time to come out and face your family, Nara."

And with that, he's gone, leaving Inara sitting on the couch confused and scared but somehow knowing what she has to do.

-

"Baby, you okay?" Jayne runs one hand through River's hair while his other hand massages her bare ass cheek. She's still slightly sweaty from their last round but is bein' so quiet it's startin' to freak him out.

"What if she doesn't like me?" River whispers.

"Who?" Jayne asks.

"Inara." River sighs. "What if she doesn't like me?"

"Baby, she already likes you." Jayne replies. "What makes ya think that's gonna change?"

"But it's different now." River props herself up on her elbows and traces her fingers over his face. "Before she liked me because I'm me. But now we are related and she may not like me as a sister."

"That ain't gonna happen." Jayne replies. "Ain't nobody not gonna like you."

"My father doesn't." River whispers. "Not anymore."

"Your father ain't nothin' but a piece of go'se." Jayne replies angrily. "He don't deserve a daughter like you, or Nara. Or your stuffy brother, I guess."

River drops her mouth down and kisses Jayne's nose. "My Jayne."

Chuckling at her abrupt change of topic, Jayne flips them over and drops a kiss against her nose. "My River."

River wraps her legs around his hips and then runs her nails down his chest. She loves the way he growls and slightly arches into her, wanting her to do it again. She flips them back over and sits up, his hardening cock nestled between her thighs. She flicks his nipple with her finger and then bends down to bite it.

Jayne groans and arches up towards River. He feels one of her small hands slip between him to grasp his cock, leading it to her opening. He pushes up into her, his eyes slipping closed at the feel of her surrounding him.

River slowly rides Jayne, just enjoying the feel of his hardness inside her. She runs her nails down his chest again, though this time harder, and then bends her head down to lap at the red marks she left.

"Again." Jayne orders huskily.

She does it again.

Jayne's hands move to grip River's hips in a death grip and he literally slams her body down onto his. He tries to open his eyes but she scratches him again and he can't. He ain't ever felt anything like this; the pain of her nails lightly breaking his skin somehow turnin' into one of the most pleasurable things he's ever felt. He's always enjoyed a little rough sex but nothin' like this; he knows his chest ain't gonna be nothin' but red marks but he don't care, just wants more.

River can see the pain/pleasure cross Jayne's face as she scratches him. She no longer worries about being too rough; he loves it. She runs her nails down his side and then drops her mouth to lick up the blood pebbling along the wound. Then she bites down hard, his skin breaking under her teeth. She sucks at the wound for a few moments until she feels Jayne's hands fist in her hair and tug harshly. It hurts but to her complete surprise, she finds she enjoys it.

"C'mere." Jayne orders.

River licks her way up Jayne's chest to his mouth and drops her mouth onto his. She mewls against his mouth when he bites her lip, his tongue instantly soothing the pain.

Jayne breaks the kiss after a few minutes and flips them back over, his hands moving under River's ass to tilt her body towards his.

"Jayne." River moans.

"Yeah?"

"Harder." River orders. She bends her legs and plants her feet on the bed, her knees completely spread. "Harder."

Jayne pounds into her, his forehead dropping down to rest on hers.

"Jayne." River whines.

"Huh?" Jayne mutters.

"Bite me." River orders. She tilts her head to one side, baring her smooth, bare neck.

"Baby, I ain't gonna…." Jayne's comments trail of with a groan when her nails dig into his back.

"Please." River whimpers. "Want to feel your teeth."

Jayne sees the stubborn look on her face and knows he ain't gotta choice. His mouth drops down to her throat and he licks a trail down to the top of her shoulder. His teeth gently clamp down onto her smooth skin.

"Harder." River orders, her eyes closed and fireworks bursting behind her lids. "Please Jayne…..oh, it feels so…"

"I know, baby." Jayne mutter against her shoulder. "I know." He bites down harshly and can taste her blood in his mouth.

"JAYYYNEE!" River screams as she comes wildly and violently. It's part pleasure and part pain and she can't tell which is which; all she knows is its pure ecstasy.

Jayne can feel River's nails digging into his back again and her walls clenching his cock violently. He pulls his mouth away from her shoulder and shouts her name as he comes. He then collapses on top of her, his body completely spent. He rolls over after a few moments and cuddles her against his chest.

"You alright?" Jayne pushes her hair aside and examines her neck, guilt automatically filling his chest. "Jesus, baby, you shoulda stopped me."

"But it felt good." River replies. She touches the bite mark with a small smile. "You marked me as yours; now, nobody else can touch me."

"Ain't nobody else gonna touch you anyways." Jayne growls. "Not if'n they wanna still have hands."

River traces a finger over the red marks on his chest. "I hurt you."

"Yeah." Jayne laughs. "I liked it."

River giggles and lays her head over his heart. "My mother loves me."

"Yeah, she does." Jayne agrees. He's a little startled by her changing the subject again but just goes with it. "Didn't you know before?"

"I wasn't sure." River replies. "It's nice to know."

-

"Simon, whatcha doin'?" Kaylee asks.

"Organizing." Simon answers, turning around to smile at her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothin'." Kaylee walks into the infirmary and moves beside him. "Want some help?"

"Sure." Simon replies. He hands her a box of assorted objects. "I found this in one of the cabinets. I need to sort out the things that go in here as opposed to elsewhere."

"Okay." Kaylee pulls out the first thing on top and squeals happily.

"What?" Simon can't help but smile at excitement.

"It's a compression coil." Kaylee explains. "Cap'n never told me he had one."

"Maybe he didn't know." Simon replies.

"Probably." Kaylee agrees. "Cap'n wouldn't know a coil if'n it jumped up and bit him in the pigu."

"He's not the only one." Simon replies. "Besides you, River, and Wash, I doubt anybody knows anything about the engine."

"Shepard Book does." Kaylee says as she continues to dig through the box. "Simon, you okay?"

"Yes." Simon answers. "It's a lot to take in and I can't help but….never mind, it's not important."

Kaylee stops digging through the box and turns around to look at him. "What?"

Simon runs his hands through his hair with a sigh. "I've always known my father is a bastard, that's not news to me." He says. "But I never knew he was so…cruel. And I can't help but think I'm just like him."

Kaylee tries to stay serious but she can't help but laugh.

Simon starts to walk away, offended by her laughter.

"Simon." Kaylee says as she grabs his arm. "I ain't laughin'…okay I am laughin' at you but not for the reason you think. It's just funny that you think you're anything like your father. I only met the man for a few minutes but he's nothin' like you. You are not your father."

Simon pulls on his arm until he can lock his fingers with hers. "I can't help but wonder." He mutters. "My father is a workaholic and so was I. I didn't realize River hadn't been writing for months because I was so absorbed in my work. I can't help but wonder if I could have stopped so many of the things that happened to her if I had paid attention to anything besides work."

"Okay, so you was a hard worker." Kaylee replies. "But you ain't like that now. You're a good man, Simon."

Simon smiles down at Kaylee and to her complete surprise, pulls her against his chest. "You're too good for me." Simon says as he bends his mouth down to hers.

Kaylee sighs happily and wraps her arms around his neck.

Simon's hands slip down to play with the small of her back as he gently but deeply kiss her. He's not sure if he agrees with her but he can't help but hope she's right. He doesn't want to be anything like his father.

-

"I need all personal in the bay." Mal's voice says over the com.

"What's going on, sir?" Zoe questions.

"Just wanna have a little meeting." Mal replies as he walks towards the bay.

"You're planning on butting in where it's not any of your business, aren't you?" Zoe asks.

"Yep." Mal smirks. "Them three ain't gonna do nothin' without a little bit of a push and I'm pretty gorram good at the pushin'."

"We know." Wash agrees.

Mal glares over at Wash for a second before walking into the bay. Everyone but River and Jayne are all ready gathered, Simon and Kaylee standing off to one side while Book and Inara stand off to another.

"What the gorram hell is this bout?" Jayne grumbles as he walks in, River right beside him.

Mal glances over and then does a double take, his mouth dropping open. "What the gorram hell?" He yells. "Little witch, you can't go walkin' round my boat without pants on."

"I have short on, captain daddy." River says, pulling up the bottom of Jayne's t-shirt to reveal a pair of shorts that Jayne bought her.

"Them ain't shorts." Mal replies. He turns to glare at Jayne. "You're lettin' her walk round like that?"

"Didn't want her to but she's pretty gorram stubborn." Jayne says. "But she knows the rules; she ain't allowed off the boat in them, ain't that right, baby?"

"Yes." River rolls her eyes and shakes her head at Jayne's silliness.

"Mei-mei, what is that?" Simon asks, walking across the room to stop in front of his sister. He pushes her hair back and gasps at the bite mark on her neck.

Mal looks at River's neck and curses under his breath before grabbing the front of Jayne's shirt. "What the gorram hell do ya think you're doin'?" Mal yells.

"STOP!" River screams, moving in between Jayne and Mal. "Captain daddy, he didn't do anything."

"There's a gorram bite mark on your neck." Mal yells.

"She knows that." River replies, rolling her eyes. "But he only bit her because she told him to."

"You told him to?" Simon repeats. "Why?"

"It felt good." River answers honestly.

Mal lets go of Jayne and steps away with a disgusted look on his face. "Oh, little River, I didn't wanna know that."

"Me either." Simon agrees.

"You did ask." River replies.

"You let him…hurt ya?" Kaylee asks with wide eyes.

"She hurt him first." River says, slipping her hands into the bottom of Jayne's t-shirt. She pulls it up, despite his protests, until his entire chest is bare.

"Holy hell." Mal mutters. Jayne's chest is covered with scratches, from the top of his chest down to the waistband of his shorts and there's a large bite mark on his side.

"They really are mating." Wash gasps, his eyes wide.

Jayne pushes River's hands away and pulls his shirt down. "I ain't somethin' to use for show-and-tell." Jayne glares down at River.

"He's mad at her?" River's bottom lip trembles as she looks up at Jayne with wet eyes.

"Gorramit, that ain't gonna work." Jayne growls.

River sniffles.

He pulls her against his side and wraps a big arm around her small waist. "Ain't mad at ya."

"Shiny." River replies happily, snuggling her face against his side.

"Okay, as cute as all this is, it ain't the reason we're here." Mal says. "Jayne, Book, Kaylee, Wash, and Zoe, follow me. The rest of ya ain't leavin' this bay till ya work somethin' out, dong ma?"

After a few minutes, the bay clears out, Jayne kissing River lightly on the forehead before following the rest of the crew out.

Simon stares at his sisters, unsure of what to say. River is watching him in that way she has, just waiting to see how he's going to make an ass out of himself this time. Inara isn't looking at either one of them; instead she's staring at her hands. "Inara, are you okay?" Simon questions, concern automatically taking over his nervousness. "You are looking rather pasty." He realizes what he said and tries to back peddle. "I didn't mean it that way. You look beautiful as always, not that I'm attracted to….."

River's giggling cuts Simon off and both him and Inara turn to look at their little sister. "What's so funny, mei-mei?" Simon questions.

"You." River answers. She looks at Inara with amused eyes. "Simon is a boob but you probably already know that. He is also very overprotective and if you even sneeze, he's going to be beside you, checking your stats."

"I've noticed that." Inara replies with a smile. "And I'm fine, Simon, just a little tired."

"Are you not sleeping well?" Simon questions. "If you're having problems sleeping, I should give you a physical to see why."

Inara laughs. "I'm fine." She assures him. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"Me either." Simon agrees.

"I did." River comments. "But then Jayne always makes me tired."

Inara laughs while Simon covers his face with his hand.

River walks over to Inara and stands in front of her. "Mother was right." River tilts her head to the side to examine Inara's face. "You do have father's eyes." Then she wraps her arms around the companion of a quick but tight hug. "But that's all. You are not Gabriel Tam." Then she turns to look at Simon. "And either are you."

"Thank you, mei-mei." Inara whispers, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"You're welcome." River replies happily. "Now it's your turn, Simon."

Simon looks at Inara, his gaze completely serious. "I don't want you to feel pressured into being more than you're comfortable with." Simon tells the companion. "If you want things to continue as they were, I will understand."

"I don't want to pressure you two into accepting me as more than just another person on this boat." Inara replies.

River rolls her eyes. "Inara, you are our sister." She says. "We want you to be our sister, right Simon?"

"If she wants to…."

River steps on Simon's foot.

"Yes, I want you to be our sister." Simon agrees with a wince. "And hopefully a less violent and bratty one than River."

River sticks her tongue out and then runs over to hide behind Inara when Simon tries to tickle her.

Inara laughs at the siblings but can't help but feel jealous; she never had this and she doesn't think they ever will. Too much time has passed and they're all too grown up to bond that way.

River can feel the sadness rolling off Inara and frowns before she finally understands why the companion is so sad. Then, she digs her fingers' into Inara's belly, searching out a ticklish spot.

"River, what are you doing?" Simon questions, smiling when River finally finds a spot and Inara burst out giggling. "River is the most ticklish on her sides."

"Hey!" River protests and then starts giggling when Inara tickles her sides.

Simon watches as his sisters, he's still getting used to that, tickle each other until they both collapse on the floor, tears rolling down their faces.

"What's goin' on?" Jayne questions from the doorway. "Why's my girl on the floor?"

"Tickle war." River pants out. She kisses Inara on the forehead, jumps up and kisses Simon's forehead before starting over to Jayne. She launches herself at him, laughing when he catches her and smacks her ass. She wraps her legs around his waist, arms around his neck, and bends her head backwards to address her siblings. "I'm going to go play with Jayne now; we can bond later."

Jayne hoists River closer to his chest and carries her out of the bay, his mouth biting lightly on her neck on the way.

Mal rolls his eyes at the couple as he passes them on his way into the bay. He takes one look at Simon helping Inara to her feet and smiles. "Well, now, it looks like my plan worked."

Inara rolls her eyes. "One of these days you're going to butt your nose in where it doesn't belong and get it knocked off."

"Probably." Mal agrees with a smirk. "But I'm guessin' everything is okay here and I'm hopin' I'm right."

"We're fine." Simon assures him. "As River said, we're going to 'bond' later but for now, we're fine, right Inara?"

"Yes." Inara agrees, smiling up at him.

"Although." Simon says, looking at her expectantly. "I really would like to make sure you're okay. Are you sure you don't need a physical?"

Mal laughs. "Told you he'd be all overprotective."

-


	11. Chapter 11

Title: Pushing

Series: Let it Flow

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: R for sexual thingies

-

"Don't see what the outstanding issue is." Mal says to Inara. "The training center you said your ma is teachin' at is on Beaumonde. You can pick her up while we're gettin' the cargo and then come back. Long as she don't mind ridin' round in the black for a week or so that is. Otherwise, you'll have to stay at the trainin' center with her till we get back; gotta real tight schedule comin' up."

"I can't very well talk to my mother about the affair she had with her student in the middle of a training house she's teaching at." Inara replies.

"Can't this wait then?" Mal questions. "We'll be back round this way in a week or so."

"I've waited two weeks, Mal." Inara says. "I need to talk to my mother; I need to know why she never told me any of this."

"Then she's gonna hafta come ride with us." Mal replies. "Sorry, Nara, but I've got a job lined up and I can't afford to let it fall through."

"Fine." Inara agrees.

"Don't see what the big deal is." Mal says. "Serenity may not be a luxury liner but she gives a good ride."

"I know that." Inara agrees. "But I don't know if my mother will think the same thing."

"Didn't seem to bother Regan." Mal points out.

"No, it didn't." Inara agrees. "I honestly don't know the woman Regan was talking about; my mother is nothing like Regan says she was."

"Well, looks like you'll have a week to find out." Mal says. "Now, you best go wave your ma and find out if she's gonna enjoy our accommodations. I'll be up on the bridge; let me know what you're doin' and soon cause we'll be breakin' atmo in twenty minutes or so."

Inara nods and walks gracefully up the stairs to her shuttle.

Mal watches her walk away, his head tilted slightly to the side to watch her hips sway. Then with a shit-eatin' grin, he heads to the bridge.

"You're going to get yourself in trouble."

Mal spins around with a screech. "Gorramit, little witch, don't do that."

"Sorry, captain daddy." River drops down from the ceiling and pecks Mal on the cheek before leading the way to the bridge.

"And what do ya mean I'm gonna get in trouble?" Mal questions.

River steps onto the bridge and glances around before plopping down onto Jayne's lap.

"Hey, baby, whatcha doin'?" Jayne wraps an arm around River's waist and kisses her temple.

"Nothing." River replies.

"You didn't answer me, little witch." Mal says.

"Always interfering is going to one day get you in trouble." River replies.

"Don't know what you're talkin' bout." Mal says.

"You're match making." River leans back against Jayne's chest and cocks her head to study Mal. "She will help you."

"How?" Mal asks.

"By insuring that Kaylee and Simon don't realize Inara left and is bringing her mother back." River replies. "Simon can't lie very well and mot…mom will realize that he is trying to hide something."

"How are you goin' to distract them?" Mal asks.

"By doing the job you gave us of course." River replies with a smirk. "And it should take the better part of an hour seeing how that storage space hasn't been cleaned out in years."

Mal grins back. "Now we just gotta plan the rest of this just so."

"Hold that thought." Wash says and hits a button. "Yes, Nara?"

"It took a lot of persuading but my mother has agreed to come back with me." Inara says. "But we have to have her back in no more than two weeks."

Mal nods to Wash.

"Mal says that's a-okay." Wash replies. "I'll let you know when you can go."

"Okay." Inara says.

"Go on." Wash says to Mal. "With the rest of your plan that probably won't work out."

"Book, you gonna help out?" Mal questions the quiet Shepard.

"What do you need me to do?" Book questions.

"You and Jayne are gonna go get Regan at the spa while me and Zoe go get the cargo and drop-off details." Mal replies. "Wash, keep this boat on and ready to go cause once everyone's on, we're takin' off."

"Why do I have the feeling you're goin' to get shot, sir?" Zoe asks.

"Ain't no chance of gun fire on this job." Mal replies.

"I meant by Inara." Zoe says.

"Oh." Mal looks to River. "Little witch, you make sure your big sis don't go puttin' no holes in your captain daddy, dong ma?"

River nods.

Wash holds up a hand and then presses another button. "Okay, Nara, you're ready to go; see you in a bit."

"Thanks, Wash." Inara responds.

"Okay, we'll be parked and ready to go in ten minutes." Wash says.

"Little witch, let's go." Mal orders.

River leans back to kiss Jayne before hopping off his lap and following Mal.

"Cut it out, love birds." Mal orders after he walks into the mess to find his doctor and mechanic making out on the couch.

Simon pulls away from Kaylee, his face turning bright red.

"What's up, cap'n?" Kaylee asks, the happiness evident on her face.

"You three are gonna clean out the storage area while we're pickin' up the cargo." Mal says. "And I expect it to be done when I get back. Chore's been slacked off lately and I ain't standin' for it no more, dong ma?"

"Fine." Kaylee stands up with a pout.

"Come on, Simon." River says, taking his arm. "You heard captain daddy."

Simon grabs Kaylee's hand with his free one, her happy smile instantly coming back, and follows his sister to the large storage area off the mess. "What is all this stuff?"

Kaylee shrugs. "Don't know, hell I don't think this room's been cleaned out the entire time I've been here. Pretty much anything we find or steal that we end up not havin' a use for, comes back here."

Simon pulls open the first box he comes to, wrinkling his nose at the contents. "I think this was once protein."

Kaylee leans over his shoulder and grimaces. "I didn't think protein could go bad."

River peers into the box with a scowl. "Smells like crotch."

Simon rolls his eyes and Kaylee giggles.

"Jayne's rubbing off on you." Simon says.

"Yes." River agrees. "Every chance he gets."

Simon flinches while the girls laugh.

"Yep." Kaylee says. "He's rubbin'."

-

Jayne looks at Book with a confused look. "What the gorram hell is this place?"

"It's a spa, Jayne." Book pushes open the door and looks around the lobby.

"Yeah, I knew that." Jayne scowls at all the flowers and funny little statues. And there's a gorram stream through the middle of the room, fish and all in it, with a waterfall thing on one end. "What I don't get is what it is?"

"It's a place to relax." Book explains quietly. "You can get massages, facials, mud baths, that kind of thing."

The massage thing don't sound half bad to him. Maybe he can talk River into givin' him one or lettin' him give her one.

"Welcome to Flowers." A tall, handsome well-dressed man, Matthew stenciled across the nametag on his chest, says. "How can I help you gentlemen today."

"Is Regan Tam here?" Book says.

"I'm sorry, we don't out information on our guests." Matthew replies politely.

"Well, I gotta gun and a gorram itchy trigger finger that says you do." Jayne argues. "In the end, which one of us is gonna be right?"

"Jayne." Book admonishes.

"What?" Jayne asks.

"There are other choices beside violence." Book says.

"Yeah." Jayne agrees and then a smirk crosses his face. "But they ain't nowhere near as fun."

Matthew swallows heavily at the look on the large man's face and starts to reach for the panic button when somebody steps up beside the two men facing him.

"There is no need for that; I know these gentlemen."

"Very well, Mrs. Tam." Matthew says, nodding politely to her.

"Jayne, Shepard Book." Regan motions for them to follow her across the room to the waterfall. "I assumed Mal would come get me."

"He's gettin' cargo." Jayne says. "You ready to go?"

"We are." Regan replies.

"We?" Book asks.

"We."

Jayne and Book spin around to see Alfred standing behind them.

"You're comin' with us?" Jayne asks.

"I go where she goes." Alfred replies.

"Here, give me those." Jayne takes two large suitcases out of the older man's hands. "Well, let's get goin'. Cap's got us on a real tight schedule for the next week."

"We have to be back in no more than twelve days." Regan says.

"You will." Jayne assures her. "Cap'n has us planned to come back here in bout nine or ten days."

"How are they?" Regan asks as they walk the roads to the shipping docks.

"Good." Book replies. "It took a little time to adjust and a big push by Mal but they're doing very well now."

"That's good." Regan says, sighing with relief. "I was so worried before but it's not as bad now."

"We'll keep em safe." Jayne assures her. "Ain't no way in hell I'll let anything happen to River and since she'd be all upset if'n somethin' happened to the doc, guess I gotta protect him too."

"She's not the only one." Regan says.

"Yeah, guess Kaylee'll be upset too." Jayne agrees. "And you too, I reckin'."

"Has my boy finally made a move?" Regan asks.

Jayne snorts. "Hell, no, Kaylee done moved in on him herself." He says. "She got tired of waitin' for him and cornered him in the infirmary. Cap'n bout had a stroke when he went in to get some aspirin and found them two makin' out on the sickbed."

Regan smiles. "They're happy."

"Yeah." Jayne agrees. "They ain't the only ones either."

-

"I don't understand why we couldn't just discuss this at the training house, Inara." Celeste Serra says.

Inara tightens her hands around the controls. "Because, mother."

"Well, are we going to discuss it?" Celeste asks.

"Not until we're back to Serenity." Inara replies. "I refuse to have the discussion while I'm flying."

"Very well." Celeste agrees.

The shuttle goes quiet, the only occasional sounds coming from the shuttle itself.

Celeste glances over at her daughter and sighs. She knows what that set jaw and wrinkled nose means, she wears the exact same expression when she's upset. And she knows she should say something to her daughter, try in some way to smooth this drift between them but she can't. She doesn't want Inara staying on this ship, doesn't want her to go through the same heartache she went through. Because the look on Inara's face when she talks about her captain, is the same look Celeste gets when she thinks about….her. And she doesn't want her daughter to go through the hell she went through twenty some odd years ago.

Inara bites her tongue to hold back tears. Because no matter what Regan may have said, her mother does regret having her. It shows in the way she looks at her.

"Nara, you're okay to come aboard." Wash says. "And you might wanna wait before coming out, Mal's wantin' to lift off as soon as you're on."

"Is he in trouble again?" Inara asks with a sigh.

"What?" Wash says. "Malcolm Reynolds in trouble; where ever do you get such foolish ideas?"

Inara smiles. "See you in a few minutes."

"Okay."

Inara expertly locks back onto Serenity and sure enough, once her shuttle is safely and completely locked on, Serenity is lifting off. She unbuckles her seat belt with a sigh.

"Inara, what's going on?" Celeste questions.

"I honestly don't know, mother." Inara replies. "It really could just be about Mal's tight schedule or we might have a fleet of Alliance cruisers chasing us. Anything's possible with this crew."

"And yet you stay." Celeste points out.

"I need all personal to the cargo bay." Mal's voice says over the intercom.

"I don't want to argue with you." Inara says, standing up. "Serenity is my home and this crew is my family." She throws open her shuttle door and steps out. "Mal has to meet you, something about nobody getting on his boat without meeting them first, though he did leave without doing that."

Celeste follows Inara out and glances around the bay of the firefly curiously. It's nothing like the luxury liners she used to live on but she can understand Inara's love for this ship. Right away she can tell it's a home. As she follows Inara down the stairs to the actual bay floor, she can hear numerous voices.

"What's goin' on, cap'n?" Kaylee asks. "We was doin' our chore."

"Mother?" Simon gasps, staring in shock at the woman standing beside Jayne.

"Simon." Regan says with a smile. "You didn't know I was coming?"

"No." Simon replies, looking to Mal. "What's going on?"

"Oh, god."

The crew turns around to see a tall, beautiful older woman standing a few paces behind Inara, her hand over her mouth.

"Cel?" Regan gasps.

"Malcolm Reynolds, what the gorram hell is going on?" Inara shouts.

Mal dashes behind River. "Surprise."

-

"Well, where are they?" Mal questions Inara as she steps into the mess.

"They're in my shuttle." Inara glares at him. "I can't believe you did this."

"I can." Simon says. "He seems to have a penchant for pushing people."

"Hey, your little sister helped." Mal defends. "And she's the gorram reader so that's gotta mean somethin'."

"You knew?" Simon asks River.

"And helped?" Inara adds. "Why didn't you say something to us?"

"Simon can't lie and you wouldn't have gone along with the manipulation." River replies. "They deserve some type of closure, one that wasn't forced and this is the only opportunity."

"What she said." Mal says. "Now, Alfred, we've got a spare room by the doc that you can use and Regan can use River's old room. And Nara, are you givin' your ma your shuttle or do you want her to use a spare too?"

"I'll take the spare." Inara replies. "My mother will use my shuttle."

"Good then, it's all settled." Mal announces.

"No, Mal, it's not settled." Inara argues. "This habit you have for always pushing and ordering people to do things they're not ready to do needs to stop."

Zoe snorts. "Nara, he's been like that for years; he ain't about to stop now."

"Hey." Mal protests. "I don't push. I just point out the very obvious solution to a problem and nudge it along. In what way is that pushing?"

-

"Would you like some tea?" Celeste questions politely, her hand shaking as she goes to pour it.

"Stop." Regan orders. "I'm not a client, Cel; there's no need for this front."

Celeste sits down on the couch a few feet away from Regan. "She knows, doesn't she?"

"Yes." Regan replies. "They all know."

"Does she hate me?" Celeste whispers. "I lied to her; her entire life has been a lie. God, she must hate me."

"Shh." Regan hushes softly. "Cel, she doesn't hate you."

"I don't see why not." Celeste says. "I haven't been a very good mother."

"Either have I." Regan replies. "But we've been given a chance to change that."

Celeste turns slightly to look at Regan. She's aged but it only makes her look more beautiful. "Do you ever think…"

"Every single day." Regan cuts in. "Do you?"

Celeste nods. "It's the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing before I go to sleep and who knows how many times in between."

"I know." Regan agrees, unconsciously scooting closer.

Celeste looks down at the knee touching her own and then up at Regan. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Regan whispers, tears filling her eyes.

"Don't baby." Celeste pleads. "Don't."

A single tear drips down Regan's cheek.

Celeste reaches up to brush the tear away and then softly caresses Regan's cheek. And then because she can't not, she pulls Regan's mouth down to hers.

Regan sighs and feels the tears flow freely from her eyes as she kisses her love for the first time in almost twenty-eight years. Her arms wind around Celeste's neck, pulling the companion closer.

Celeste can feel tears fall from her own eyes as she pushes past the seam of Regan's lips with her tongue. Her hands burrow into Regan's soft hair as she deepens the kiss, feeling whole for the first time in so long. She gently nudges Regan backwards until she's lying on her back. Then she pulls back to study her lover. "You're so beautiful."

Regan blushes and shakes her head. "No."

"Yes." Celeste argues. "God, you're even more beautiful then when the last time I saw you."

"So are you." Regan whispers, tugging on her hand until Celeste lies down, half her body on the couch and half her body on Regan herself. "We really should go talk to our children.

"Yes." Celeste agrees, reaching behind her to lower the zipper on her dress.

Regan quickly untucks her shirt and pulls it off. Her bra comes next, leaving her in nothing but her wool slacks.

Celeste pushes her dress down to her hips and then lays back down, moaning when her bare breasts brush against Regan's bare breasts. Her hand slides up Regan's belly to cup a mound, her thumb rubbing back and forth until the nub is hard.

Regan moans and arches into Celeste's hand. And as her hands move to unbutton her slacks, there's a knock on the shuttle door.

"Mother, is everything okay in there?" Simon's says through the metal. "We're starting to get worried."

Regan leans her forehead against Celeste's with a laugh. "We'll be out in a minute, Simon."

Celeste stands up and starts to pull her dress back up.

"I never thought I'd get interrupted by my children." Regan comments as she puts her bra back on. "It makes me feel like a child."

-


End file.
